GRIEF IS A TEDIOUS JOURNEY

Losing someone, a job, becoming an empty nest, a change in health can take a few minutes to occur and months and sometimes years to process. Grief is painful and tedious. Everyone else feels "you should be over it" but you are not. Anniversaries, birthdays, social events are always reminders life has changed. Being able to normalize the feelings of irritability, poor sleep, an underactive or overactive appetite, disinterest in personal activities and waiting for " the other shoe to drop" can be some of the symptoms. If something bad has happened, well it could happen again. Anger at ourselves for taking so long to process. It seems everyone you know is enjoying life and you are not! Grief, a huge, painful emotion! Talking! Doing! Carrying on! Recognizing it has consumed your life helps with the coping. Making small manageable daily goals or tasks to work through the muddled thoughts and the overwhelming feeling of it! We must understand it does change a life and sometimes unfortunately some people do not recover! Others do and go on to a new life! Are you coping today with a grief situation? If you need help there are counsellors or therapist. Are you someone who likes to read? There are many fine books or even websites with help for you. Talk to your family and friends! Grief really is a tedious journey!

DON'T LOOK TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD

Are you facing a crisis in your life? Are there unanswered questions?

When I work with people facing a new critical illness diagnosis, trying to get pregnant, newly divorced or loss of a loved one, the therapeutic answer I usually give is " don't look too far down the road!" Thinking and trying to solve everything too soon can be overwhelming. This feeling can lead to extreme anxiety. It can immobilize! So stop and take a breath- what can you do today! Feel today! The journey will present itself slowly! As we all walk, run, ride, bike, fly on our life's road needed answers will come to us!

THE CASSINO WAR MEMORIAL

Was an emotional experience for me. I visited there in 1991 on a trip to my husband's hometown- Cassino, Italy. I blogged about that experience November 1, 2010- Was I worth their sacrifice- Cassino War Cemetry and November 2, 2010- Cassino War Memorial Part 2. As we reflect on this Remembrance Week, I always remember the visit there of seeing so many graves with Canadian service men from all parts of Canada. They made the ultimate sacrifice-gave their lives. Today we can consider the lives given in our current missions. The young men and women that will always be remembered and honoured by the families who will miss them. Many of our elderly veterans are grateful for the new generation of young Canadians who are honouring them due to the current losses. The Afghanistan and other missions have brought a new awareness to all of us. No one really wins a war when there are lives lost- whether military or civilans! May we remember all sides in the battles and pray together for more peaceful resolutions to conflicts!