New Beginnings
Today is the last day of 2022. If you’re grieving the death of someone you love, the transition from one year to the next can be hard. The reality that the person you love will be left in the old year, and will never experience the new one, can weigh heavy on your heart.
You might even feel more separated from your deceased loved one because you feel as if you’re moving even further ahead without them. You’re entering the new year without them and it seems they’re being left behind.
The death of someone you love is not only an ending for them…but also for you. The grief and sadness are a constant reminder of what you’ve lost…and it might seem almost impossible to even begin to think about a new year starting.
Here’s the thing…you may not believe it now…but endings lead to new beginnings.
It’s not unusual to feel guilty about gradually moving forward in your life and experiencing joy again, but it’s also important to give yourself permission to live again.
The fear of leaving your loved one behind is sometimes paralyzing until you understand that you don’t ‘move on’ without them…but you ‘move forward’ with them.
You’ll come to realize that grief is all about grabbing whatever joy comes your way and holding tightly to it.
Grief is the only experience that puts sadness and joy in your heart at the same time.
What that means is that you have to follow your heart.
Listen to it.
Grieve when the pain grabs your heart…and smile when the memories fill it.
Embrace the endings…but also embrace the new beginnings.
Gary Sturgis – “Surviving Grief”
Gina’s thoughts on life, death, and in between 