It is said “Little Love” requires little pain, but “Great Love” requires great pain. You may be
beginning a journey that is often frightening, painful, and sometimes lonely. It is the Grief
journey. No words written or kind words said can take the pain away.
When someone you love dies, or a life loss occurs, the emotion of love necessitates that you
mourn and embrace the pain of grief. In order to move through grief, it cannot be denied,
minimized, or escaped. You must feel it to heal it. You must do the work of grief by mourning, which is the outward expression of the inward grief pain.
Grieving is a process not an event and so it will take time for healing to occur. Be patient and
gentle with yourself, the pain will lessen or change in time. Remember each person’s journey is uniquely theirs and will be felt and dealt with in their own unique way.
There are some social “Myths” held in relation to grief. For example, the idea that if you are
controlled and rational all the time you are doing well or that if you openly express your grief
you are thought to be over emotional. Other myths may be that you should get over the loss
and grief as soon as possible or that crying is a sign of weakness. In reality, feeling the
emotions during the process of grieving and allowing tears to fall are important parts of
healing.
Denying the loss or the pain and brokenness because of the death of someone you have loved or the life loss you have experienced that has changed you forever will not make the pain go away. Accepting and embracing the pain and moving through the pain helps with the healing and reconciling to your life changes on the grief journey.
Death may separate you but love will never go away. Memories live on. To honour the
memories, spend time sharing thoughts and feelings with a compassionate listener and
understand that each person has a unique journey and timespan for their grief journey.
Submitted by : Walking Through Grief Society
Supported by FCSS; City of Lloydminster, Towns of Vermilion and Wainwright, Villages of
Kitscoty and Marwayne and County of Vermilion River.