I experienced grief recently with the loss of my Zadie (my grandfather) in November. His death came very suddenly and shocked us all since he was never sick and was still working a full-time job at 85 years old. I had never lost a grandparent and did not know what to expect. Since my Zadie was so important to our family, I was worried my family would fall apart.
Although I was initially afraid of my family falling apart without my Zadie, losing him reminded me to appreciate and spend time with my family. For the next three months, I saw all my grandparents at least once a week. It was an amazing opportunity to feel even more connected to them, create lasting memories, and feel grateful for all the time we have together.
While I was grieving my Zadie, I learned that I needed to check my behaviour to make sure I wasn’t isolating myself from the people around me. When he passed away, I was hesitant to lean on the people around me because I knew they were grieving too. However, I slowly began to realize that it was okay to reach out to my friends and family and I didn’t have to grieve alone. When celebrating my Zadie’s life, my family was able to come together and bond over the amazing impact he had on all of our lives and the love we shared for him.
Everyone grieves in a different way and it is important not to judge ourselves or the people around us for the emotions they may or may not be feeling. Trying to suppress our true feelings can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and loneliness.
Grief can often feel like an empty void in our hearts that makes us confused, disoriented and isolated. Even though it can be difficult to reach out to loved ones who are also grieving in this process, it is important to remember that we don’t have to go through it alone.
Although I was initially afraid of my family falling apart without my Zadie, losing him reminded me to appreciate and spend time with my family. For the next three months, I saw all my grandparents at least once a week. It was an amazing opportunity to feel even more connected to them, create lasting memories, and feel grateful for all the time we have together.
While I was grieving my Zadie, I learned that I needed to check my behaviour to make sure I wasn’t isolating myself from the people around me. When he passed away, I was hesitant to lean on the people around me because I knew they were grieving too. However, I slowly began to realize that it was okay to reach out to my friends and family and I didn’t have to grieve alone. When celebrating my Zadie’s life, my family was able to come together and bond over the amazing impact he had on all of our lives and the love we shared for him.
Everyone grieves in a different way and it is important not to judge ourselves or the people around us for the emotions they may or may not be feeling. Trying to suppress our true feelings can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and loneliness.
Grief can often feel like an empty void in our hearts that makes us confused, disoriented and isolated. Even though it can be difficult to reach out to loved ones who are also grieving in this process, it is important to remember that we don’t have to go through it alone.