Hi Casey, I'm so grateful you found me too, and I wish we could have connected under different circumstances. Grief time is something I wasn't expecting, so I write about. The strange thing is that even if someone told me, I wouldn't have understood before grief became a part of my life. Grief has also made me replace the word "but" with "and" in many contexts; it's become commonplace for me to experience two opposing feelings at the same time. Blessings to you as well 🙏 ~ Amy
The third anniversary of my husband's death will be at the end of August. He died from cancer, but I've been in widow support groups with women whose husbands committed suicide. We call that a stigmatized loss and it adds another layer of grief. While I have not experienced that type of loss, I am familiar with clinical depression and other types of mental illness. I think of it as a disease of the mind, but I know many don't see it that way because a diagnosis is made by observing symptoms rather than more quantifiable testing. As with any disease, some have treatment resistant forms of mental illness (which is also biological in origin), yet loved ones either blame themselves for "missed signs" or have outsiders questioning the validity of their grief. I am sorry if you have experienced these types of judgments and I am here to witness your grief in whatever form it takes.
I hadn't heard it referred to in that way before, but yes...the stigma really adds to the grief experience.
I've become very skilled at telling myself he was 'only' a friend...but he was a friend who was on the end of an email if ever I needed, and his weekly newsletters always offered me something...even if he wasn't speaking directly to my experience.
The line between the time when he was in the world doing his thing, and now knowing that he's not...is hard.
Wow...
I found you through Letters from Love, and I'm so grateful that I have.
You've expressed the difference between grief time and linear time so well.
Blessings to you,
Casey
Hi Casey, I'm so grateful you found me too, and I wish we could have connected under different circumstances. Grief time is something I wasn't expecting, so I write about. The strange thing is that even if someone told me, I wouldn't have understood before grief became a part of my life. Grief has also made me replace the word "but" with "and" in many contexts; it's become commonplace for me to experience two opposing feelings at the same time. Blessings to you as well 🙏 ~ Amy
'Even if someone told me, I wouldn't have understood.'
We don't know until we know...and that's how it works.
I'm six weeks away from the third anniversary of my friend's death.
I'm no stranger to loss, but this is the first time I've experienced losing someone by their own hand.
I'm still learning how to navigate it, grateful for my therapist, and of course to Liz for helping me discover my connection to Love.
❤️🙏
The third anniversary of my husband's death will be at the end of August. He died from cancer, but I've been in widow support groups with women whose husbands committed suicide. We call that a stigmatized loss and it adds another layer of grief. While I have not experienced that type of loss, I am familiar with clinical depression and other types of mental illness. I think of it as a disease of the mind, but I know many don't see it that way because a diagnosis is made by observing symptoms rather than more quantifiable testing. As with any disease, some have treatment resistant forms of mental illness (which is also biological in origin), yet loved ones either blame themselves for "missed signs" or have outsiders questioning the validity of their grief. I am sorry if you have experienced these types of judgments and I am here to witness your grief in whatever form it takes.
((( ❤️)))
Thank you so much.
I hadn't heard it referred to in that way before, but yes...the stigma really adds to the grief experience.
I've become very skilled at telling myself he was 'only' a friend...but he was a friend who was on the end of an email if ever I needed, and his weekly newsletters always offered me something...even if he wasn't speaking directly to my experience.
The line between the time when he was in the world doing his thing, and now knowing that he's not...is hard.
Thank you so much.
I love this so much!!!
Thank you love! I hope your Friday is good and you're ready for the weekend. I'll be writing for most of it:)
I have had an interesting day & a good one at that!! Thank you lovey 😍😍 Happy writing to you!! ♥️♥️♥️
Amy, facially you remind me of one of my best friends I’ve known since childhood. I love your poem! Thank you for sharing it! Out if fucks? 😆
I have to share with you this post from Demi Pietchell https://www.starfirecodes.com/p/meme-drop-40-you-ever-just-like
Thank you so much Charlotte! I loved that post you linked. Funny and really uplifting towards the end 🥰