Grief is never complete, there is no date when it ends. There is no expiration date. No closure. Instead, grief is a journey and changes over time. One learns how to live with grief. It becomes embedded, assimilated into your life, and you learn how to carry it. No two people will have the same journey.
Specific dates, anniversaries, holidays, birthdays, weddings, seasonal rituals, can all take on significance after the loss of a loved one. For me, today is the fourth anniversary of the loss of my husband, Craig.
Today, my grief is sharper, poignant. It is not that I miss him more today, I miss him every day. Instead, on the anniversary of the loss, my thoughts upon waking up were drawn back to the day we lost Craig. Thoughts of how he was only 46 when he passed, and that I am now 47. Thinking about how much we would have accomplished together in these past four years.
And then, I grant myself grace. I purposefully replace those thoughts with how proud he would be of all that I have done in the past four years, without him and most importantly because of him.
The greatest gift in this world is to inspire and support others. To help unleash the potential in others. Craig gave me the best gift he could have ever given me - the confidence and determination to survive and thrive after losing him and for that I will always be grateful.
Craig, missing you today and always, but I know you are always with me!
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Two beautiful souls, Craig and Lydia. And you, Lydia, a great writer, far better than me :)! You and Craig both left an indelible impression upon me when we met and throughout the weeks that followed. Both of you eternally optimistic no matter the circumstances; entirely capable and independent, yet open to others that might have a better way; and always ready to help and/or share whatever you had to offer; utterly uplifting. It's no surprise, but refreshing, that through the sadness of losing Craig nothing has changed with you. Thank you so much for sharing you. My love, glenn.