So, you are a griever. Possibly laid flat on the floor by whatever loss brought you to your grief. Hold up! There’s help, even if it doesn’t feel like it today.
The first thing I did when I became bereaved was connect with other bereaved parents. I joined the Compassionate Friends support group (bereaved parents click links for information about support in the USA and Canada), sought out books, online communities and any other resource I could think of. There were few available. I was grateful for what I did find, but other than reassuring me I was not the only parent who had lost a child and that the pain I was struggling with was felt by all bereaved parents, I felt alone and lost. There was nothing to guide me to the healing I desperately wanted. Until, that is, I turned to the world of angels.
For you as part of the good griever community, I want you to know that you are not alone and never will be. There are people who do want to help you in your grief (you just have to find them) and resources and tools available to help you get where you want to go. Every single day. Because sometimes that’s what it is. A struggle just to get through another day.
As part of the Good Griever posts, you will learn about support, how to find it, when to let some people go as new connections come into your life, and most importantly, how much your experience counts. To you and others.
Wherever you are in your grief; whether you are brand new to it, have lived with grief for years, have sought out support or suffered in silence; the intent is for you to feel safe in this community as you share your thoughts or comments or quietly soak up whatever information feels right for you in your healing journey.
Grief is first and foremost about respect. We deserve it as grievers and must remember that just because our losses may be different, pain is the same. No one feels it in exactly the same way, but I can guarantee you that triggers, anniversary dates, memories, regrets, sadness and lost dreams impact everyone similarly. Let your experience in grief be one of hope and inspiration, kindness and gentleness for yourself as a person in pain, without losing sight of your desire to heal.
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