A New Thing about Grief

A new thing about grief hit me recently. That in itself kind of surprised me. Being an expert in the area of grief, rarely anything surprises me anymore. In marking ten years since my father passed, I felt the need to run away. So just like a 5 year-old I packed a bag and ran away. Literally. I went to a place I had never been before because I needed to be alone and wanted to mark the anniversary in my own way.

As I drove out of town, the tears starting falling and I let myself cry. But it wasn't long before I realized that not everything about the past ten years was bad. In fact, there were lots of good parts. The rest of the day kind of turned into a sad-because-you're-gone-but-Hooray!-I've-survived-and-even-thrived celebration. I hiked a nature trail, sat by the water, listened to music, talked to God and laughed out loud.

It's important to let ourselves grieve and mark anniversaries. It looks different for all of us. But it's so healthy to let ourselves feel our feelings, whatever they are, and take care of ourselves.

If you're in a season of grief, take some time for you. Stop caring about what other people think of the way you grieve. Taking time to grieve ensures a healthier you (and me!) going forward.

Photo credit