GRIEF AND LOVE

"Grief is really just love. Its all the love you want to give, but cannot. All that unspent love

gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go." – William P. Spence

For many people, February brings added opportunities to reflect on love and relationships.

However, this can come with potential difficulty for those experiencing grief and loss. The above quote provides a perspective about grief that acknowledges the love that we have as being ongoing and not something that ends when someone dies. Finding ways to continue expressing our love can be a helpful way to give your love somewhere to go.

Consider the following activities to honour your experiences of grief and love:

1. Write a love letter to your loved one who has passed. Take time to find some special

paper or a notebook. You can write about memories, things you miss about the person,

things you wish you could tell them, etc. You may choose to keep the letter, leave it at a

gravesite, or dispose of it in a way that feels comfortable to you.

2. Take part in your loved one’s favourite activity. Ask yourself, what did my loved one love

to do? Even if it is not something that you particularly love, it may help you to reflect on

memories by participating in something they enjoyed doing. This can be an extension of

your ongoing love and your desire to keep their memories alive.

3. Continue to use your loved one’s name out loud. Share stories that use their name and

help others in your life to also continue to love your person.

4. Create a memory box for your loved one. This can be done in as simple or elaborate

way as you choose. Some people may like to purchase a special box while others may

like to create their own. Think about what personal items, pictures, letters, song lyrics, or

other things that you can fill the box with.

5. Allow yourself to feel all the emotions that come with wanting to continue loving

someone who is not physically here. There may be times of deep sadness mixed in with

joyfulness that come with remembering the special times you spent with your loved one.

By choosing to actively express your love, you can seek to accept that missing your loved one is proof that you loved them dearly and that your love will continue.

Submitted by: Walking Through Grief Society

Funded by FCSS; City of Lloydminster, Towns of Vermilion and Wainwright, Village of Kitscoty, and County of Vermilion River.