I don’t know about you, but I see grief everywhere.
A few weeks ago, Diane Hullet asked me to be on her podcast to talk about this very thing. As Diane said, “It feels like we’re all swimming in grief.”
The world has changed. The world is changing.
Our old normal is long gone. We have no idea what our new normal is going to be.
In her podcast, Diane and I talked about how change, loss, and grief impact every area of life.
Loss impacts us emotionally. Sadness, anger, frustration, fear, anxiety, guilt, depression, panic, numbness, and even despair descend upon us. The emotional upheaval can be unnerving and paralyzing.
Loss impacts us mentally. Our focus, concentration, and mental acuity take a hit. Brain fog, mental fatigue, and memory issues all tend to be exacerbated.
Loss impacts us physically. Symptoms we’re used to experiencing get worse. New symptoms and ailments crop up.
Loss impacts us spiritually. Our souls can be rattled. Our faith can be shaken. Our questions and wonderings multiply.
Loss impacts our relationships. Our entire relational web is jostled. We can feel betrayed, judged, rejected, and abandoned. Isolation and loneliness are huge issues in grief.
Finally, loss impacts our future. We know what was, but we don’t know what will be. The persistent limbo is frustrating.
We can feel like we’re our sense of safety, meaning, purpose, and sanity.
Grief. Yes, it’s everywhere. We’re swimming in it.
We’re hurting. Our hearts are broken. Our souls cry out.
We long for something more.
We were designed for something more, something greater.
Somehow, our hearts know this.
So, we keep swimming. We rest as we can. We pace ourselves.
We close our eyes and remind ourselves that now is not forever.
We remember the buddy system. It’s never a good idea to swim alone.
If you would like to listen to my interview with Diane, you can do so here.
Please remember that you are not alone. Far from it.
Question: Do you feel like you’re immersed in grief? What is “swimming in grief” like for you? Please feel free to comment. Your thoughts will encourage and comfort others.
“We’re swimming in grief!”
After losing my husband in October, very suddenly, my world was rocked by grief. I had no family to help me and friends didn’t seem to know what to do or say. I struggled through the bills and learning his “system”. I fought to get what little life insurance was due for almost 3 months. Had to make all the decisions alone. Every day is like swimming upriver. I was scared I’d make the wrong decisions and still have some I will have to make. It hurts…mentally, physically and emotionally. The only thing that has saved me is my Faith. That keeps me going.
It feels that way to me. No matter which way I turn something, it is always there to remind me of some aspect of grief. So, it’s like using a swimming pool as a metaphor. Water surrounding you in a pool, grief surrounding your in day tasks. As we know anything and nearly everything triggers you in the early stages of grief as well in the later stages. That’s how I see it.