I hope wherever you are, you know Recovery is with you right where you are.
Today is the fifth anniversary of my mother’s passing into eternal life with God. Part of Recovery and overall human experience is grief.
What are we currently navigating regarding grief? How are we managing our grief? What does support look like for us?
I am learning that grief is a slow process. Each one of us experiences grief differently. For some of us, we plant a tree in memory of the person who has died, others of us go to church on the anniversary of a love ones death and light a candle for the deceased, or we join a grief support group. How we manage grief is an individual healing experience.
We can learn from our grief, turn toward it, and become motivated by it. My cousin lost his father to colon cancer. Because he was approaching his mid-fifties it motivated him to schedule a colonoscopy.
Grief can come in waves and is not something we check the box and move on from. Grief gently invites us to slow down and be patient with our grief. It’s ok to not be ok. We don’t fix grief, but we make time for it; we are invited to be with grief.
Where can we find support during an episode of grief in our lives? There are grief support groups. Some of us work as a diversion, which may be fine in a short period of time, as long as work is not used to avoid feeling grief. Being in nature, whether on a lake, planting a garden, or participating in another outdoor activity. Associating with compassionate people, meditating, or sitting in silence are all ways we can find support for our grief.
When I am working through grief, there are a few things I need to heal. I need a person I can relate to, and they understand what level of grief I am experiencing. I need people who will provide unconditional love, patience, and empathy toward me. I need a person who understands how God is a source of healing.
Grief is a part of Recovery and our human condition. Learning how to navigate it, manage it, and find support for our grief allows us to have a spiritually healing experience, knowing in any given moment we are right where we need to be.
Remember, Recovery is happening right now, in this moment.