This is a sponsored conversation, in collaboration with Skylawn Memorial Park. All opinions are mine.
My Mother passed away in 2015. The anniversary of her death is fast approaching. We all know our parents will pass away one day, yet when it happens, it’s still a shock.
I don’t think you’re ever prepared to say goodbye to the ones you love. And when it’s the one who raised you, it hurts. Bad.
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If your parent has passed away, you may be feeling pain, fear & overwhelming sadness. What you’re feeling is perfectly normal. It’s grief.
Grief
Grief is the difficult, albeit, necessary process that eventually (if we’re lucky), will bring us a sense of closure.
We all grieve differently, and that’s okay.
Many factors come into play when it comes to grief, and how we grieve. Our previous experiences with death are a huge factor. Our religious beliefs and customs affect how we grieve too. The individual relationship we had with our parent, whether or not they were ill, or died unexpectedly, all of these influence our grieving.
5 Stages of Grief
There are five stages of grief. You may, or may not, experience all of these, after the loss of a parent.
Denial. We don’t want to believe our loved one is really gone.
Anger. You’re mad at the world. You’re mad at yourself. You’re even mad at the person you’ve lost.
Bargaining. In this stage of grief, you may find yourself making alot of “what if” & “if only” statements.
Depression. Overwhelming sadness, foggy thinking, and confusion, are a few symptoms of depression.
Acceptance. When it finally sinks in that this is really happening, and you can’t change it.
There are other feelings we feel after losing a parent. Guilt is one of them. You will remember things you did/said as a child, teen, and young adult. Things you never apologized for. Just remember your parent forgave you long ago.
Coping With Grief
First, you must realize grief is normal & necessary. Grief does not have a set time limit. Take as much time as you need. Go ahead and cry. Don’t keep your feelings all bottled up. Talk about your loved one, if that’s what you want to do. Share your feelings, and thoughts, with family and friends.
Please keep in mind that grief can take a physical, as well as mental, toll on your body. Your appetite may be affected & cause you to lose (or gain) weight. You may experience difficulty sleeping. You can experience panic attacks & anxiety.
Be kind to yourself. Ask for time off work to grieve. Ask your family and friends to check up on you. Allow others to help with housework, and day to day activities. Rest, and try to relax.
Above everything else, you know your parent would want you to take care of yourself. If you feel your grief is too much to deal with, please reach out to a grief counselor. They are trained and can offer you resources that can help. ❤️
Learn more about the benefits of planning ahead, let Skylawn Memorial Park help:
Hwy 92 at Skyline Blvd.
San Mateo, CA 94402
Request your FREE Funeral Planning Guide HERE.
