New Year’s Resolution for the Bereaved
By Tanya Lord
This year I resolve to:
- Not put a time limit on my grief. Loving someone means loving them for my lifetime whether they are physically present or not.
- Tell their stories, the happy and the sad, they will live on through me.
- Encourage others to share memories.
- Teach others they cannot ” make” me cry, tears are only an external expression of how I am feeling at the time.
- Understand that crying or otherwise expressing my pain is healthy and normal. “Doing well” means expressing my feelings.
- Understand that others will not understand my pain and it isn’t fair to expect them to do anything but listen.
- Recognize that asking for help from those that love us is really a gift that we give to them.
- Help others, reaching out to others in pain will help me to heal.
- Do something nice for myself every day.
- Knowing that if today I cannot do everything that needs to be done, tomorrow is another chance to get it done.
- Cry when I need to, laugh when I can and to not feel guilty about either one.
- Let go, bit by bit, of the guilt, regret and anger because I know holding onto these emotions can be so damaging.
- Take a risk and let others into my life and heart.
- Take care of my physical, emotional and spiritual health.
- Reinvest in life a little bit each day…