Losing someone is tough at any point during the year but the holiday season can be especially hard on anyone facing a loss. The holidays are a time spent with family and suddenly you face the monumental task of trying to enjoy the festivities meanwhile you feel like you are going to fall apart at any minute. You might be thinking How am I supposed to enjoy myself without the person I lost or I don’t want to ruin the party for everyone else because I just miss him/her so much. I’ve thought all these things about my dad, too. I felt so guilty because I just wanted to feel better and spend time with my family. At times I felt pity for myself because I felt like nobody had to carry the burden of a loss like me.
Shutting yourself out is not the right way to process your grief and neither is covering up your emotions for no one to see. When you start to feel this way think about the person in your life who passed away. They wouldn’t want to see you struggling, especially during a time when you need to focus on the things you are grateful for on this Earth. Instead they would want you to enjoy what you can and keep their memory alive during this time of year. It’s understandable if you don’t feel like yourself this time of year, don’t beat yourself up. You suffered a loss close to your heart. You always have someone on this Earth who cares about you and my heart goes out to you as you’re going through this difficult time.
People are always there for you and want to listen. Ask yourself this: Is there a family member or a friend in your life who loves and cares about you? Someone may come to mind but now you’re thinking I’ve tried talking about this with him/her. It’s useless. They don’t want to talk or have no idea what to say. It’s common for people to feel awkward when death comes into the conversation. A lot of people don’t know what to say but they want to be there for you, no matter what. If you ever want to talk to me about your loss, I’d be more than happy to listen.
This Thanksgiving I will be saying a prayer for my dad as I celebrate the day eating with my family. It takes time to accept death and it will always be something you think about it, whether you like it or not. Your life is here on this Earth even though your mind remains somewhere else. What motivates you to wake up every single day and conquer it like the grieving warrior you are? Think about that during the holiday season and be thankful you have something in your life you can still hold on to. This is the time of year to open up without looking back.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of my readers.
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