An old friend of Celia's sent me a card of condolence and a small book titled Experiencing GRIEF, by H. Norman Wright. The book describes the journey through grief and the tangled ball of emotions that we experience in the grieving process. We all grieve differently, there is no set of rules or guide lines to follow.
For me, I have experienced the loss of pets, my parents, grandparents, other relatives and some close friends. Time was the great healer in most of those circumstances. Their memories will always be with me. The loss of Celia is more difficult, maybe because of my age, life experiences, being more emotionally sensitive to the joys and sorrows of life, and above for the relationship we had together for nearly 24 years. We both looked back on it as divine intervention in how we found each other.
The most gut wrenching thing for me now is looking at pictures of the good days with Celia and I break down in tears, both out of sorrow for what I lost and for the joy we once had. Those memories will always be with me. Writing about this is part of grieving for me. Maybe the reader will benefit from my grief.
The following is taken from the back cover of this book: "At one time or another, we will all find ourselves facing a dark journey--the passage through grief. The sign posts along the road--shock, rage, despair--may not offer comfort, but understanding them will help us to our ultimate destination--release and peace."
Mike, life certainly has its up's and down's, hopefully more of the former by the time our day ultimately comes. We also grieve with you and will certainly miss Celia. It takes a lot of strength to face life's challenges, but pls know that your family and friends are always here for you and to give you support. Fortunately, most humans are fairly resilient and adaptable to life's challenges, and certainly the loss of one's loved spouse is one of the toughest. We're here for ya if we can be of any help with your passage thru grief to peace. Pls feel free to give me a call or email if you'd like to meet up for a cold brew, lunch or just some friendly conversation.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this, Mike. Grief is definitely a process and time helps but the longing for our loved ones will always be there. It was great to spend time with you on the 4th. Hugs, K&J
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mike!
ReplyDelete"There is no fear in love." John 4:18
I understand the terrible grief you must feel over the loss of your dear wife of 24 years. Glad you have so many happy memories of her!
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