Getting Unstuck: Finding Hope Through Grief
Posted on October 10th, 2018
Every day I drive by a quaint antique shop. It might be my imagination, but it appears to be the same charming furniture outside every single day. In the morning, the antique treasures are carefully placed in the front yard, and every evening they are brought back inside. A few Coca-Cola chairs may have been added since the turn of the century, but otherwise, it seems the process is repeated every day.
The death of someone you care about deeply is one of life’s most difficult challenges. It’s easy to fall into a rut of doing the same things day after day, leaving you lonely and feeling stuck in the sorrow. If you’re struggling to move forward, would you consider trying something different to help break through the intense sadness? Hopefully, one of these ideas will help:
- Remember. Memories of your loved one’s life are treasured gifts to keep close in your heart. Take some time to record memorable stories and save photos in a notebook or journal. Remembering happier times is a beautiful way to honor the person you’re missing, and allow some light into a painful season of life.
- Get Help. People who have been where you are now can be a great source of hope and encouragement. It might take a few visits to know if a support group is a good fit for you, but don’t give up. A caring group or maybe professional grief counseling will provide a safe place to process traumatic loss.
- Find Hope. Regardless of your religious beliefs, deep sorrow often draws us to seek spiritual help. In my darkest season of loss, I realized I was drowning in the sadness. When I finally called for help, a friend offered to pray when I couldn’t find the words. Admitting your inability to cope and allowing someone to be strong for you can be a powerful turning point toward healing. Dr. Gloria Horsley, executive director of the Open to Hope Foundation, puts it beautifully: “If you have lost hope, we invite you to lean on ours until you find your own.” You don’t have to go through grief alone.
Beth Marshall is a freelance journalist, conference speaker and author of Grief Survivor, and A Time to Heal, a grief journal. After losing close family members she began to journal through the difficult days of grief. As she wrote about her loved ones and started to connect with other people, she realized joy-filled life after loss really is possible!
