Donny, when my husband suddenly passed away, I was devastated when I saw he has died in his sleep while napping. For a week the world around me a blur, then I felt angry with God for taking him. It took me 2 years before I started releasing that anger, my life was just going through the motions. I was at a women’s retreat when I could no longer keep my emotions tucked away, during a prayer session the floodgates opened, I felt God love through the comforting hands of women praying for me. I had been lost during those 2 years, it started my journey back to understanding God was beside me the whole time… his angels were guiding me back. There was a knowing in my heart that I had to walk that path. With renewed faith I started my journey back and have carried the lessons with me. I recently wrote a poem about the angels God sent during that time, a comforting reminder of his wisdom and love. Continued blessings!
Losing both of my parents in a short period of time was one of the most difficult experiences I’ve ever faced. The pain was overwhelming, and I felt a profound sense of loss and loneliness. I remember feeling as though a part of me was missing, and the grief was sometimes suffocating.
During that time, I tried to honor their memories in various ways—by looking through old photographs, sharing stories with family and friends, and engaging in activities that had been meaningful to us.
I often found myself questioning whether I was handling my grief in a way that would make my parents proud and, at times, I turned to God for comfort. I wondered if my mourning was pleasing to Him. I sought solace in prayer, searching for reassurance and guidance, though I still grappled with feelings of uncertainty about my emotional responses.Ultimately, I learned that grieving is a personal journey, and there’s no right or wrong way to mourn. What matters is that I allowed myself to feel and express my emotions, even when it was challenging.
Lovely to see one of my old stomping grounds. I grew up in Lynn Valley North Van and Ambleside was a favorite place for family picnics. Also learned to sail there (closer to Lions Gate Bridge).
Regarding grief, some of my closest times with God have been in times of grief. I do try to watch that I don't get stuck or lost in grief. As a former church choir director I had to learn to try to stay strong, stoic, so I could "perform" well. Then after, I would let my emotions flow. When my Dad passed away and I had to be strong for several weeks. When I finally felt I could let I cried for hours on end ... not healthy.
Jesus mourned at the loss of His friend even though He knew He was going to bring his friend back to life and will raise him on the last day. "Jesus wept" helps me better understand that grief is natural and Godly.
Donny, as I listened to you speak and share, it took me back to reflect on losing both my parents. My father being seriously ill for only 6 weeks before his passing was difficult as He got very ill on vacation in the UK. I was in the US and could not join my mother. Those six weeks were harder than his actual death because I couldn't be there, but the praise is when they were able to use one of the Swiss medical evacuation planes to fly him back to NC, my prayer of him just being able to open his eyes and recognize me & to know he was back home in the US was gratifying because I cherish that moment.
I was my mother's caregiver for the last 3.5 to 4 years of her life. I will admit those years were the hardest ones I've lived thus far, but the blessing of bringing my mother & my relationship so much closer is what I remember. For 48 years, I prayed to hear her say the words, "I love you Anne" & "I'm proud of you," & "thank you for all you've done." The other prayer that was answered within the same week was I physically heard a sales clerk ask her if she knew Jesus as her Lord & Savior, & out of her mouth, she answered emphatically, "YES!" Around 3 weeks later after both of these life long prayers were answered, she passed.
Like you shared, God created each of us unique in His own image. We grieve differently. For me, I grieved more prior to their deaths than afterwards because I similar to you knew life went on. Not that I don't ever miss them, which I do, but because God answered my prayers shortly to both of their passing. I could tell my father loved me through his eyes though he could not speak, & somehow I knew he was truly saved. For my mother, I heard her actually say Yes she was saved, so I knew I would see both them whenever God calls me home.
Long story short, I hurt deeply, but I know my past as God has helped me resolve many things about it to move me forward where I'm humbled how He has taken that pain and those lessons learned to where I am now. Each person grieves differently as I believe similar to you I walk through the pain with Christ, & let him teach me what I am to learn from each loss, each hurt. Personally, knowing God answered these three prayers of mine shortly before each of my parents' passing made their actual death a little easier for me to take although I did experience the loneliness and pain, the blessings I choose to remember instead of the hard times prior to their death.
WOW! What a question! For myself growing up in the southern US a death is a time when ALL the family comes together, funeral services are usually very large and filled with everyone you know, most to support and carry the family through their grief and loss. When I went with my husband to his grandmother's service in Indiana, I was taken aback and how disconnected they all seemed to their loss. There was really not gathering of family at the home, no abundance of casseroles and desserts (in the south we feed the soul with food) I was puzzled by how they didn't really show any emotion about this loss. I have grown to realize just what you said we all mourn in different ways; I have three sons, and when they recently lost their grandfather I saw three different approaches to mourning, one cried and cried, one went on to work and just got quiet, the other went into caregiver mode (doing what needed to be done to help his grandma and dad). It is interesting how we process our own grief, I am a fall apart for a bit person and then walk forward best as I can.
Without a doubt I feel that your belief system allows you to cope with grief, because as a believer you know they are in a better place and that is a comfort. If you are not, then like you mentioned they are just gone and that is it. For me, I know what I believe and that provides me with the assurance that though they are gone from this place, their love abounds and I am still protected under that love.
For me what I grieve is the physical presence of someone dear. I have lost a child and I mourned his loss deeply as I missed being his mom and watching him grow up. It was a different kind of grief than when my parents passed. I have lost quite a few people in my life and what I miss is being with them. I mourn the earthly relationship with them. I have great hope in heaven and long to be reunited with them. However, I am one who believes that we must move forward in this life and that there are still living people who love and need us. So I do my best to keep the memories positive and fresh and rejoice in the time I had with them. People all grieve differently and they grieve differently each time. I think God understands our grief because of Jesus' experience with death. How much you grieve may have to do with the depth of connection with someone. I think it's ok to miss people, but I do believe there is still living left to do and God's good purposes for our life to be carried out. But I also extend grace for people who grieve differently than me.
Being a Catholic, I believe in God & Heaven. I believe that when I die, my spirit will go to heaven & I will reunite with those I have loved & lost. I do not believe in reincarnation or anything like that. Heaven will be where I go. Death is a huge topic & I have some conflict with it. For me 2 things in my life changed my reality. 1: just before an accident, where my car impacted another (the other cars fault), I swore I was going to die. Time slowed & I felt a peace I can't explain. I was in a white light surrounded by peace & love. All was good. Then I came back & the accident happened. But from then on I didn't fear death. In I knew all would be okay when I died. 2: When my dad died, I really felt my mortality. This changed me as, even though I had thought about my life, I now really thought about my life. This led to what was my legacy? Also, what purpose do I have? I came back with nothing. I have no legacy. I don't have children, which was huge for me. As I have done the family tree, I saw the legacy of others. I have none. I will be a twig on a tree, not a branch. Would I be remember? I very much doubt it. I know this seems egotistical, but I think we all like to think we leave a mark of our existence. To know that our life meant something. I don't feel I have left a mark. This is what scares me. This is what I fear & what changed. I feel that my life is pointless & is a waste of time. I have clinical depression & an anxiety disorder, which makes this harder. I have been told I had made a difference, but people who have children don't understand. They have their children to carry on, I don't. That's huge for me. Also, people like yourself, Don, have a legacy. Anyway, that's what I'm scared of & the manner of death, not what happens after. In regards to mourning, I mourn my dad. I don't mourn all the time, like I did when he passed, but at times when I miss him & his amazing brain. He was such a smart man & help me understand so much. I loved his talks & miss them. Even as I type this my tears are forming. It's him & that connection that we had. He meant the world to me & I miss giving him hugs & just listening to him. It was a unique connection that I don't have with anyone else. That's why I mourn. I mourn for my loss. I know he's at peace & out of pain, so I feel selfish wishing he was still alive. So it's my loss that makes me sad. It was also hard losing so many close together, 1st my dad, then several months later my uncle, just before covid, then my aunt, then after lockdown, my mum. So a lot was going on & times were confusing & difficult. It takes a toll on you. I am working on my life, trying to find that purpose, that motivation. I pray that I find something.
After losing four still born in my human life I’v experience the misery,bereavement and the tormenting anguish of separation but God gifted us our beautiful son among all these I find peace, boundless bliss and eternal endless tranquility in the midst of them the stream of life goes on like those stars . Today was very hard for me because I lost my brother 6/2017 today was his birthday he would be 63 years old. He always celebrate his birthday with my husband as they are a day apart.A month before he passed away he finally told me that he was dying and he don’t want to burden me because I too have to fight my own battle. There’s a profound silence that settles within when we come to terms with the fact that some things in life are meant to be lost. It’s a quiet revelation,a shift that’s not loud or dramatic but rather soft and unspoken.In that moment,I understand that loss isn’t always something to mourn ,but a natural part of the flow of existence. Losing both my parents was the hardest the pain is still there , of course ,but it’s no longer accompanied by the need to grasp,to hold on tighter. Instead ,it becomes a peaceful surrender,a recognition that certain things are simply not ours to keep,and that’s okay. In this silence,there’s a strange sense of freedom that begins to emerge. When I stop fighting the inevitable,I start to see the beauty in the transient nature of life. Loss becomes less about absence and more about the space for new experiences,new growth. It’s in that stillness,where the echoes of what once was fade, that clarity often steps in. I realize that sometimes,losing something is not the end of the story,but the beginning of something else- something I might not understand, but will,in time.
I love how you said,” loss becomes less about absence and more about the space for new growth and experiences.” I never looked at it that way. Thank you for sharing Lucy!
Death to me is a release of pain and seeing a new path God has made for me. I don’t fear it but I’m unsure about what comes next. I have sadness losing a pet. I have watched them grieve for their owners and each other. It’s a lack of understanding of why did they leave me. I lost my brother this past October and I miss him not knowing why. I don’t cry with nonstop tears but I carry sorrow for a bit. My first response is to go to Jesus for comfort then reflect on what I know about the person or even the pet I lost. I try to look at the love they left behind and how they made me feel.
I have lost my dad, sister, mum and my beautiful grandson and with all of them I never really mourned as I tend to bury my feelings and just get on with life. With my sister I went into shock as I watched a story on TV about a 20year old who had doused herself with kerosene and set herself alight and then they gave her name and that was how I found out. But after the Dr gave me some medication (I was 7 months pregnant) Guess I was a bit drugged and when I got over that I just went on as I normaly do. I did cry at a funeral for a friends daughter and even though I had never met her it was as if I was crying for someone I knew really well and it is possible that all my pushed down grief was coming up at that time.
I lost my husband and I was hurt because he left me. But I realized that I was angry at myself for not caring enough. He was suffering but I was being selfish. I still miss him dearly but I know that l will see him again. I love my God for keeping him safe.
I know I wrote a lot, but I wanted to add something where God helped. My dad was in the hospital, thinking he'd recover, visited him every 2nd day. I was supposed to go Sunday, then Tuesday, but accidentally missed Sunday, & visit Monday instead. When I parking at the hospital, I got a phone call from my sister to get there quick. I made it, but my sister & 2 of my siblings she called, didn't. God was looking after me.
When I lost my husband to cancer a year ago.. I seen first hand what grief can do to a person. I went thru a time where I was very bitter towards God and now I can say I found my way back into his life again. I love how you say you are a follower of Christ..I think that’s how you said it. And that’s where I want to be again. And I love listening to your prayer walks. They have helped me in many ways. Thank you Donny.
I took care of my mom the day I retired from my job my sister told me I could take care of her sense I lived with her .she was not much help at the time.when she went in the hospital the last time my sister step up stay with her in the hospital sense she work there she told me to go off to my cousin .so I did .when she past Thanksgiving night I cry .but with my cousin then came home a few days later to a empty house I had my name in at the retirement place I wanted to live at but I had a year and a half waite .to get in. I was not to up set after mom died I deal with it a few months before she past she was declining really fast I did not want her to suffer. And she didn.t but sense my sister was nor around as much tell the end she had a harder time louseing mom .my sister is 16 years younger then me. I had my mom dog the last year and half of her life I cry for the dog alot .
In our culture we do grieve very well. It is like a celebration of the loved ones life, and is done very well for three days before the funeral, with the deceased one all part of this celebration. We cry we sing we laugh we talk to them we all sleep together on our Marae or Meeting House. We have a Church Service every night, and I am certain God loves the way we handle it.
As always a beautiful setting. Vancouver is one of my favourite cities. Death is a final chapter in our lives. The closer one is to you the more difficult it becomes. Everyone grieves differently. To me it is more important how you treat them when they are alive. Grief comes in 5 stages, denial, shock and anger, hoping for a different outcome, pain and sadness and finally acceptance. What matters is how you remember those that you have lost. My younger sister just died and as we were very close, it is heart wrenching but time will heal the pain. I believe we are just a shell and our life essence continues after death. Where or how we really don't know. Death does not scare me even at my advanced age, as it is the end of life's cycle and only the Lord knows when that time will be. 🙏🙏
Donny, when my husband suddenly passed away, I was devastated when I saw he has died in his sleep while napping. For a week the world around me a blur, then I felt angry with God for taking him. It took me 2 years before I started releasing that anger, my life was just going through the motions. I was at a women’s retreat when I could no longer keep my emotions tucked away, during a prayer session the floodgates opened, I felt God love through the comforting hands of women praying for me. I had been lost during those 2 years, it started my journey back to understanding God was beside me the whole time… his angels were guiding me back. There was a knowing in my heart that I had to walk that path. With renewed faith I started my journey back and have carried the lessons with me. I recently wrote a poem about the angels God sent during that time, a comforting reminder of his wisdom and love. Continued blessings!
beautiful. thank you for sharing
Losing both of my parents in a short period of time was one of the most difficult experiences I’ve ever faced. The pain was overwhelming, and I felt a profound sense of loss and loneliness. I remember feeling as though a part of me was missing, and the grief was sometimes suffocating.
During that time, I tried to honor their memories in various ways—by looking through old photographs, sharing stories with family and friends, and engaging in activities that had been meaningful to us.
I often found myself questioning whether I was handling my grief in a way that would make my parents proud and, at times, I turned to God for comfort. I wondered if my mourning was pleasing to Him. I sought solace in prayer, searching for reassurance and guidance, though I still grappled with feelings of uncertainty about my emotional responses.Ultimately, I learned that grieving is a personal journey, and there’s no right or wrong way to mourn. What matters is that I allowed myself to feel and express my emotions, even when it was challenging.
Thank you for sharing your journey.
Lovely to see one of my old stomping grounds. I grew up in Lynn Valley North Van and Ambleside was a favorite place for family picnics. Also learned to sail there (closer to Lions Gate Bridge).
Regarding grief, some of my closest times with God have been in times of grief. I do try to watch that I don't get stuck or lost in grief. As a former church choir director I had to learn to try to stay strong, stoic, so I could "perform" well. Then after, I would let my emotions flow. When my Dad passed away and I had to be strong for several weeks. When I finally felt I could let I cried for hours on end ... not healthy.
Jesus mourned at the loss of His friend even though He knew He was going to bring his friend back to life and will raise him on the last day. "Jesus wept" helps me better understand that grief is natural and Godly.
Wonderful reminder. thank you for sharing.
John 11:35
Donny, as I listened to you speak and share, it took me back to reflect on losing both my parents. My father being seriously ill for only 6 weeks before his passing was difficult as He got very ill on vacation in the UK. I was in the US and could not join my mother. Those six weeks were harder than his actual death because I couldn't be there, but the praise is when they were able to use one of the Swiss medical evacuation planes to fly him back to NC, my prayer of him just being able to open his eyes and recognize me & to know he was back home in the US was gratifying because I cherish that moment.
I was my mother's caregiver for the last 3.5 to 4 years of her life. I will admit those years were the hardest ones I've lived thus far, but the blessing of bringing my mother & my relationship so much closer is what I remember. For 48 years, I prayed to hear her say the words, "I love you Anne" & "I'm proud of you," & "thank you for all you've done." The other prayer that was answered within the same week was I physically heard a sales clerk ask her if she knew Jesus as her Lord & Savior, & out of her mouth, she answered emphatically, "YES!" Around 3 weeks later after both of these life long prayers were answered, she passed.
Like you shared, God created each of us unique in His own image. We grieve differently. For me, I grieved more prior to their deaths than afterwards because I similar to you knew life went on. Not that I don't ever miss them, which I do, but because God answered my prayers shortly to both of their passing. I could tell my father loved me through his eyes though he could not speak, & somehow I knew he was truly saved. For my mother, I heard her actually say Yes she was saved, so I knew I would see both them whenever God calls me home.
Long story short, I hurt deeply, but I know my past as God has helped me resolve many things about it to move me forward where I'm humbled how He has taken that pain and those lessons learned to where I am now. Each person grieves differently as I believe similar to you I walk through the pain with Christ, & let him teach me what I am to learn from each loss, each hurt. Personally, knowing God answered these three prayers of mine shortly before each of my parents' passing made their actual death a little easier for me to take although I did experience the loneliness and pain, the blessings I choose to remember instead of the hard times prior to their death.
Thank you for sharing Anne
WOW! What a question! For myself growing up in the southern US a death is a time when ALL the family comes together, funeral services are usually very large and filled with everyone you know, most to support and carry the family through their grief and loss. When I went with my husband to his grandmother's service in Indiana, I was taken aback and how disconnected they all seemed to their loss. There was really not gathering of family at the home, no abundance of casseroles and desserts (in the south we feed the soul with food) I was puzzled by how they didn't really show any emotion about this loss. I have grown to realize just what you said we all mourn in different ways; I have three sons, and when they recently lost their grandfather I saw three different approaches to mourning, one cried and cried, one went on to work and just got quiet, the other went into caregiver mode (doing what needed to be done to help his grandma and dad). It is interesting how we process our own grief, I am a fall apart for a bit person and then walk forward best as I can.
Without a doubt I feel that your belief system allows you to cope with grief, because as a believer you know they are in a better place and that is a comfort. If you are not, then like you mentioned they are just gone and that is it. For me, I know what I believe and that provides me with the assurance that though they are gone from this place, their love abounds and I am still protected under that love.
Thank you for sharing Robin
For me what I grieve is the physical presence of someone dear. I have lost a child and I mourned his loss deeply as I missed being his mom and watching him grow up. It was a different kind of grief than when my parents passed. I have lost quite a few people in my life and what I miss is being with them. I mourn the earthly relationship with them. I have great hope in heaven and long to be reunited with them. However, I am one who believes that we must move forward in this life and that there are still living people who love and need us. So I do my best to keep the memories positive and fresh and rejoice in the time I had with them. People all grieve differently and they grieve differently each time. I think God understands our grief because of Jesus' experience with death. How much you grieve may have to do with the depth of connection with someone. I think it's ok to miss people, but I do believe there is still living left to do and God's good purposes for our life to be carried out. But I also extend grace for people who grieve differently than me.
beautiful
Beautifully said, Cathey!
Hi Amy! Just my thoughts as I have had my share of losing people and I learn more about grieving with each loss.
Being a Catholic, I believe in God & Heaven. I believe that when I die, my spirit will go to heaven & I will reunite with those I have loved & lost. I do not believe in reincarnation or anything like that. Heaven will be where I go. Death is a huge topic & I have some conflict with it. For me 2 things in my life changed my reality. 1: just before an accident, where my car impacted another (the other cars fault), I swore I was going to die. Time slowed & I felt a peace I can't explain. I was in a white light surrounded by peace & love. All was good. Then I came back & the accident happened. But from then on I didn't fear death. In I knew all would be okay when I died. 2: When my dad died, I really felt my mortality. This changed me as, even though I had thought about my life, I now really thought about my life. This led to what was my legacy? Also, what purpose do I have? I came back with nothing. I have no legacy. I don't have children, which was huge for me. As I have done the family tree, I saw the legacy of others. I have none. I will be a twig on a tree, not a branch. Would I be remember? I very much doubt it. I know this seems egotistical, but I think we all like to think we leave a mark of our existence. To know that our life meant something. I don't feel I have left a mark. This is what scares me. This is what I fear & what changed. I feel that my life is pointless & is a waste of time. I have clinical depression & an anxiety disorder, which makes this harder. I have been told I had made a difference, but people who have children don't understand. They have their children to carry on, I don't. That's huge for me. Also, people like yourself, Don, have a legacy. Anyway, that's what I'm scared of & the manner of death, not what happens after. In regards to mourning, I mourn my dad. I don't mourn all the time, like I did when he passed, but at times when I miss him & his amazing brain. He was such a smart man & help me understand so much. I loved his talks & miss them. Even as I type this my tears are forming. It's him & that connection that we had. He meant the world to me & I miss giving him hugs & just listening to him. It was a unique connection that I don't have with anyone else. That's why I mourn. I mourn for my loss. I know he's at peace & out of pain, so I feel selfish wishing he was still alive. So it's my loss that makes me sad. It was also hard losing so many close together, 1st my dad, then several months later my uncle, just before covid, then my aunt, then after lockdown, my mum. So a lot was going on & times were confusing & difficult. It takes a toll on you. I am working on my life, trying to find that purpose, that motivation. I pray that I find something.
Thanks you for sharing Christine.
For the record, I have felt the "lack of legacy" and/or purpose, as you do.
Then I remember, I'm not here to leave a legacy of self. God, Christ and the Holy Spirit have given me purpose.
After losing four still born in my human life I’v experience the misery,bereavement and the tormenting anguish of separation but God gifted us our beautiful son among all these I find peace, boundless bliss and eternal endless tranquility in the midst of them the stream of life goes on like those stars . Today was very hard for me because I lost my brother 6/2017 today was his birthday he would be 63 years old. He always celebrate his birthday with my husband as they are a day apart.A month before he passed away he finally told me that he was dying and he don’t want to burden me because I too have to fight my own battle. There’s a profound silence that settles within when we come to terms with the fact that some things in life are meant to be lost. It’s a quiet revelation,a shift that’s not loud or dramatic but rather soft and unspoken.In that moment,I understand that loss isn’t always something to mourn ,but a natural part of the flow of existence. Losing both my parents was the hardest the pain is still there , of course ,but it’s no longer accompanied by the need to grasp,to hold on tighter. Instead ,it becomes a peaceful surrender,a recognition that certain things are simply not ours to keep,and that’s okay. In this silence,there’s a strange sense of freedom that begins to emerge. When I stop fighting the inevitable,I start to see the beauty in the transient nature of life. Loss becomes less about absence and more about the space for new experiences,new growth. It’s in that stillness,where the echoes of what once was fade, that clarity often steps in. I realize that sometimes,losing something is not the end of the story,but the beginning of something else- something I might not understand, but will,in time.
beautiful. thank you for sharing.
I love how you said,” loss becomes less about absence and more about the space for new growth and experiences.” I never looked at it that way. Thank you for sharing Lucy!
Death to me is a release of pain and seeing a new path God has made for me. I don’t fear it but I’m unsure about what comes next. I have sadness losing a pet. I have watched them grieve for their owners and each other. It’s a lack of understanding of why did they leave me. I lost my brother this past October and I miss him not knowing why. I don’t cry with nonstop tears but I carry sorrow for a bit. My first response is to go to Jesus for comfort then reflect on what I know about the person or even the pet I lost. I try to look at the love they left behind and how they made me feel.
Thanks for this time to remember and think.
I have lost my dad, sister, mum and my beautiful grandson and with all of them I never really mourned as I tend to bury my feelings and just get on with life. With my sister I went into shock as I watched a story on TV about a 20year old who had doused herself with kerosene and set herself alight and then they gave her name and that was how I found out. But after the Dr gave me some medication (I was 7 months pregnant) Guess I was a bit drugged and when I got over that I just went on as I normaly do. I did cry at a funeral for a friends daughter and even though I had never met her it was as if I was crying for someone I knew really well and it is possible that all my pushed down grief was coming up at that time.
That sounds very difficult. Thank you for sharing Teresa
Teresa, I can't even imagine how painful and shocking your experience was. You are a strong, beautiful soul. 🙏🕯🙏
Thank you Karen. It happened 55 years ago.
I lost my husband and I was hurt because he left me. But I realized that I was angry at myself for not caring enough. He was suffering but I was being selfish. I still miss him dearly but I know that l will see him again. I love my God for keeping him safe.
Beautiful confession Janie. Thank you for sharing that.
I know I wrote a lot, but I wanted to add something where God helped. My dad was in the hospital, thinking he'd recover, visited him every 2nd day. I was supposed to go Sunday, then Tuesday, but accidentally missed Sunday, & visit Monday instead. When I parking at the hospital, I got a phone call from my sister to get there quick. I made it, but my sister & 2 of my siblings she called, didn't. God was looking after me.
When I lost my husband to cancer a year ago.. I seen first hand what grief can do to a person. I went thru a time where I was very bitter towards God and now I can say I found my way back into his life again. I love how you say you are a follower of Christ..I think that’s how you said it. And that’s where I want to be again. And I love listening to your prayer walks. They have helped me in many ways. Thank you Donny.
I'm happy to hear you found your way back to God.
Thank you 😊
I took care of my mom the day I retired from my job my sister told me I could take care of her sense I lived with her .she was not much help at the time.when she went in the hospital the last time my sister step up stay with her in the hospital sense she work there she told me to go off to my cousin .so I did .when she past Thanksgiving night I cry .but with my cousin then came home a few days later to a empty house I had my name in at the retirement place I wanted to live at but I had a year and a half waite .to get in. I was not to up set after mom died I deal with it a few months before she past she was declining really fast I did not want her to suffer. And she didn.t but sense my sister was nor around as much tell the end she had a harder time louseing mom .my sister is 16 years younger then me. I had my mom dog the last year and half of her life I cry for the dog alot .
Thank you for sharing
In our culture we do grieve very well. It is like a celebration of the loved ones life, and is done very well for three days before the funeral, with the deceased one all part of this celebration. We cry we sing we laugh we talk to them we all sleep together on our Marae or Meeting House. We have a Church Service every night, and I am certain God loves the way we handle it.
As always a beautiful setting. Vancouver is one of my favourite cities. Death is a final chapter in our lives. The closer one is to you the more difficult it becomes. Everyone grieves differently. To me it is more important how you treat them when they are alive. Grief comes in 5 stages, denial, shock and anger, hoping for a different outcome, pain and sadness and finally acceptance. What matters is how you remember those that you have lost. My younger sister just died and as we were very close, it is heart wrenching but time will heal the pain. I believe we are just a shell and our life essence continues after death. Where or how we really don't know. Death does not scare me even at my advanced age, as it is the end of life's cycle and only the Lord knows when that time will be. 🙏🙏