On this journey of grief, I have found it helpful to be honest with how I’m feeling. To allow myself to face whatever it is I’m feeling, take time to really feel the pain, then get up and keep going. Writing is one way that I have processed my pain, and I encourage you to try it as well. Each of us has a grief story, and that story matters. Your pain is not without purpose, and as you are honest with yourself and your Creator, healing begins. I’ve begun sharing bits of my own grief journal in the hopes that it helps you take that first step.
I woke up wishing I could have a hug from my Dad today. Sometimes grief comes like a slap in the face, and other times the ache settles into your heart a little less obviously. I cried randomly the other day and when my husband asked what was wrong, I just said “I miss Dad.” I didn’t cry on the anniversary of his death, but some random moment in the day the following week set me off. I’m learning not to force myself to feel a certain way at a certain time. If I am triggered by something, I let myself feel that and ask why it bothered me so much. I allow myself a few moments to dig deep and think about the man who raised me. And then, I dust myself off, stand up and move forward.
Don’t let expectation of how you think you’re supposed to grieve dictate the way you walk the path of loss. Grief is grief, no matter what you’ve lost. And there really is no right or wrong way to grieve. Our hearts all break in different ways, so don’t compare yourself to others. Do find community with others, though. There is something powerful about knowing that someone understands in their soul the type of pain you are experiencing. The circumstances may be different, but there is connection in knowing that someone else carries an ache in their heart as well.
If you need support in your grief, I’ve created a few resources specifically for you – a free 4 day email series, a private group on FB with others walking through loss, and a grief journal to tell your own story (in the making). I’d be honored to walk alongside you in this time, but please also reach out to someone in your community – a friend, a pastor, a local GriefShare Group.
More grief posts:
- To the Woman Who Doesn’t Have Time to Grieve
- To the Woman in the Valley
- An Open Letter to the Girl Who Just Lost her Daddy
- Choosing All In Faith When Faced with Grief and Loss
- Questioning God in the Midst of Grief
- Grieving in the Face of Unanswered Prayer
- To the Woman Ready for the Next Season
- Thankfulness Looks Different
- 71 Bible Verses to Pray in a Season of Grief
- Pregnancy and Grief
- Loss and Birthdays: What Death has Taught me about Life
- Father’s Day: Loss and Legacy