Death of A Loved One

What I know about grief

The following are some things I know to be true about grief for me, based on my lived experience. Some of them may resonate with you as well. Grief is unique to the people experiencing it in each moment, so please take whatever makes sense to you from this share and leave whatever doesn’t.

Jean – It’s all about love

Jean talks about losing her husband to a heart attack on valentines day

The First Fathers’ Day Without Dad

When you lose a person in the generation before you, you begin to think about what they meant to you. When you lose a parent, you think about all they meant, and you hoped you either lived up to the best of yourself, or in some cases where the parenting was not as instructive or kind, you hope you’ve raised yourself beyond difficult circumstances.

When Death Feels like a Thief

In the heart of my grief, at my frailest, all I could see was what was no more. I grieved all that was stolen from me by death; love, security and even my very self. Had I known the value of having every pocket of who I was, picked bare by grief, I would not have fought so hard to hold onto it all.

Holly – Befriending our mortality workshops

Holly explains how creating can be helpful with grief and how we don’t talk about death

Kara – “You change”

Kara discusses evolving, growth and change. Kara continues to grieve the death of her partner.

Krista – “It does get easier”

Krista talks about time and acceptance. Krista continues to grieve the death of her son from opioid overdose.

Mary S – Dogs

Mary talks about how special dogs are and how much they helped her grief

Lisa – Music and her connection with her father

Lisa talks about the gratitude she has for reconnecting with her father before he died and how much music was a connection for them

Antoinetta – Things that help when struggling

Antoinetta talks about the first time she learned that it was ok that she was grieving and how to unpack all her feelings

Sam – Depression

Sam who lost his father, uncle and cousin talks about depression and being self aware

Krista – “Being uncomfortable”

Krista talks about taking risks. Krista continues to grieve the death of her son from opioid overdose.