I screamed
“When my mom died in 2013, I was 21 and it totally shattered my world. I felt so trapped and suffocated during the first days and weeks of my grief and I kept trying to think of a way to release the pain I was feeling. Eventually, I climbed into the passenger seat of my dad’s truck and just screamed. I yelled at God, swore a ton and really let it all out. I screamed until I didn’t have a voice anymore. In that moment I felt so exhausted and so full of pain but also so relieved because that pressure that had been building up inside of me finally was released.” —Shelby Forsythia, Chicago
I made a list of the good
“The way I found comfort after I lost my dad to leukemia 20 years ago is by making a list of all the good things that came out of his sickness and death. For the longest time, my memory of my father was of him in the ICU, feet swollen, unable to communicate, and me the day after his death sitting in my dark bedroom, crying. But by writing this list, I focused on the better memories. For example, when my dad was initially diagnosed, a family friend introduced us to a doctor. We went for dinner at his home and I met his daughter who was my age. She became my best friend, and introduced me to my now-husband! I truly believe my father has been with me every day and has provided this goodness and so much more.” —Aneela Idnani, Minneapolis
I wrote in my journal
“When I lost my father to murder, journaling gave me a way to express myself both to my father and to the man who murdered him. It gave me a way to put feelings into words privately so that I didn’t need to fear being judged by other for expressing things that were sometimes ugly, mean, and even self-destructive, the kind of thoughts I don’t often linger on and don’t like to share. At times, I’d begin writing when I felt sad and, by the time I finished, I discovered that what was really going on was anger, loneliness, or some other feeling that I needed to spend some time thinking about.” —Susan Fekete, Santa Rosa, California
I returned to triathlon training
“When my daughter died unexpectedly, exercising was the most tangible tool for processing my grief and it gave me a focus for my anxious energy. I had participated in sprint triathlons before she was born, and after she died, competing in another triathlon helped to reclaim a part of myself that felt like it had died, too. Having the goal of the triathlon gave me structure and intention to my training and the event itself was a celebration of all my hard work. It was proof to myself that I was still strong. Also, being in the fresh air exercising outside felt healing.” —Amie Lands, Windsor, California
I found strength in tai chi
“I went through a six-year period recently where my husband and I lost seven close family members…
Comments are Closed