Even when the grieving process is not sidetracked by excessive guilt, the grieving person often experiences the phase of depression. The sense of loss becomes all pervasive. We can no longer deny its reality. We can do nothing to reverse the situation. We are left with a harsh void no one can fill.
"The world rushes on over the strings of the lingering heart making the music of sadness" (Tagore)
For many, "the God of all sorrows" comes alongside to "lift up thine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh our help," and away from our loss.
He helps us understand the normalcy of death. Jesus Christ is referred to as "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." He identifies with our sorrow and invites into his presence "all who are weary and heavy hearted."
Depression is normal when one faces serious loss. We need to recognize it as a part of the grieving process, but refuse to give into it as a way to escape reality and postpone return to the real world in which loss must be accepted and dealth with.
Grieving is a process, a normal progression from a valid sense of shock and denial to questioning to a depressive sense of irreversible loss.
The Bible tells us, "Sorrow lasts for an evening, but joy comes in the morning.
No need to deny our loss. It is real. And we have honest emotions of anger, the right to questions. But healthy grieving must move beyond all this to an embracement of our grief.
Grieving is an act of love. We do not grieve the loss of those for whom we have no feeling. To grieve the loss of a loved one is the highest honour we can give that loved one.
When we begin to accept the normalcy of death as that which comes to all, and embrace our grief as gratitude for those relationships that will forever be a part of us, we on on the road to the last phase of the grieving process, a healthy acceptance of reality.
...to be continued....
"The world rushes on over the strings of the lingering heart making the music of sadness" (Tagore)
For many, "the God of all sorrows" comes alongside to "lift up thine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh our help," and away from our loss.
He helps us understand the normalcy of death. Jesus Christ is referred to as "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." He identifies with our sorrow and invites into his presence "all who are weary and heavy hearted."
Depression is normal when one faces serious loss. We need to recognize it as a part of the grieving process, but refuse to give into it as a way to escape reality and postpone return to the real world in which loss must be accepted and dealth with.
Grieving is a process, a normal progression from a valid sense of shock and denial to questioning to a depressive sense of irreversible loss.
The Bible tells us, "Sorrow lasts for an evening, but joy comes in the morning.
No need to deny our loss. It is real. And we have honest emotions of anger, the right to questions. But healthy grieving must move beyond all this to an embracement of our grief.
Grieving is an act of love. We do not grieve the loss of those for whom we have no feeling. To grieve the loss of a loved one is the highest honour we can give that loved one.
When we begin to accept the normalcy of death as that which comes to all, and embrace our grief as gratitude for those relationships that will forever be a part of us, we on on the road to the last phase of the grieving process, a healthy acceptance of reality.
...to be continued....
2 comments:
it truly is a process isn't it Lori? this is very interesting to read
betty
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
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