Death doesn’t mean we can never enjoy life again. Grief doesn’t equal suspended forward motion. Life goes on, and you do not dishonor the dead by experiencing joy. Laughter heals and restores, and it is possible for joy and grief to coexist.
Author: Candy Arrington
Words Left Unsaid
Sudden death is, by its very nature, unexpected. We all think we’ll have the next moment, hour, day, month, year to express feelings and speak the love we hold for those dear to us. January 3, 2024, ended my chance to say, to my husband, words left unsaid. I was rushing that day, in a…
Enduring Love
Valentine’s Day 2024 is my first Valentine’s Day in 44 years without my husband. Please do not feel sorry for me. I’ve received unexpected cards, chocolates, and other expressions of love. And I have a dinner date with the cutest, sweetest 6-year-old little man, who looks a lot like his Bop. Our first date was…
Life Beyond the Pall
Molding the difficult into something new and beautiful is part of the grieving, healing process. Everything has a season. Along with the seasons of joy and celebration come seasons of mourning and loss. These rolling highs and lows are how life works. For each fading flower comes the remembrance of former beauty, love, comfort, and the hope of forward motion.
The Sudden Exit Club
You, too, will find moments of celebration in your hard journey, if you look for and recognize them. Your momentum may be slow, but you will recover and resume forward motion, even when it is very difficult. The devastation you experience now will give way to lighter moments, like the dawning of a new, sun-filled day. Expect brighter days ahead and hold on to hope.
How Long is Too Long to Grieve?
If you reach a point when grief doesn’t diminish and you can’t find joy in anything, it’s time to seek help from a minister, doctor, counselor, or support group. There is no shame in asking for help.
Serving as a Caregiver
At times, caregiving is tough, but the care you provide others is a gift that eases suffering and provides support. You may find yourself having hard conversations about end-of-life wishes, eternity, and comforting fears about the uncertainties of last days. Listen patiently and answer compassionately.
The Truth about Forgiveness Lies
The time for forgiveness is always right now. Delayed forgiveness compresses anger, and anger breeds bitterness, which changes the way a person thinks, talks, and acts. Unforgiveness negatively transforms and causes separation. To maintain healthy relationships, and avoid the fallout from holding on to hurt, forgiveness is necessary.
Moving Ahead
Emptying the house of its contents involved going through countless papers, knickknacks, boxes, closets, cabinets, and cubbyholes. Some decisions were easy; many others were not. How do you dispose of years of living, the lives of loved ones, and the mementos thereof?
Life Pivots Require Courage and a Willingness to Change
Life pivots produce personal growth and spur forward motion. When hardship, grief, difficult decisions, and other life events require a significant pivot, faith is the guiding light in the darkness.