A View of Grief and Loss
Grief and loss is a broad category that encompasses death and dying, grief recovery, grief resources and every type of loss imaginable. From losing a loved one to losing your job, grief and loss includes a variety of dimensions that affect each and every one of us in our daily lives.
Losing a loved one is what we typically associate with grief and loss. But losses of many types can also generate powerful grief reactions. We include here broken relationships, loss of a pet and loss of employment. When the loss experience strikes we immediately want relief and begin seeking some kind of recovery help.
Today we can see grief and loss associated with divorce, relationship breakup, pet grief and loss of employment. We can also see associations with the loss of ones home, place of business and career aspirations as some hopes and dreams never materialize. We tend not to see these as grief and loss categories, but in fact they are losses that affect us in similar ways as losing a loved one.
What is central to this article is that grief and loss affects us in almost every aspect of our lives. We recoil over the loss of a job. We fall into depression over the loss of our home. We grieve the death of our pets. We agonize over a recent divorce. And of course, we cry over the loss of loved ones.
What is our point here with this foray into the multiple dimensions of grief and loss? We are dealing with an emotional crisis and a feeling based wound. We experience sadness, depression and hurt. Feeling lost and afraid is common. Anger usually arrives first, till we discover what’s underneath, and pain is what we wish to avoid, initially. All such reactions are quite typical with the experience of grief and loss.
We begin to see that the experience of grief and loss applies to every aspect of our lives. Learning to grieve and relieve ourselves of stress is the key to a healthy recovery. Grief work and stress relief provide the necessary bounce back for our energy and drive. Grieving, in all its varied forms, is far more common than we may have realized.
Gaining and losing are part of the cycle of life. A snake sheds its old skin so that new growth underneath can emerge. We typically see most losses as devastating when, in fact, they may be a prelude to something new and exciting. Learning to let go is essential to the process of recovery from any loss.
Grief and loss over the death of a loved one is a singularly powerful event. This type of loss is probably the most difficult we have to endure. But grief and loss, in other forms, is with us every day. Learning to cope with grief and loss, in all its forms, will help enormously when we face the loss of loved ones. A good grief and loss resource can immediately mitigate the experiences most devastating effects.
Dealing with grief and loss requires that we face our emotions and work through them. Acquiring a good resource, turning toward family and friends and sharing our sorrow can lead to new and deeper relationships. There are secret benefits to all of life’s trials, even though it make take years to see them. The main lesson from grief and loss is that something awaits us on the other side of the experience.