There’s no time limit on grieving, nor is there a set schedule. Some well-meaning folks will tell you there is. They’re wrong.
Mourning, yes. We can’t mourn forever; yet sometimes grief never leaves us. What is important is to recognize the difference between mourning and grief.
If you’ve lost someone close, you’ll most likely go through all the emotions known to humankind. Sadness, anger, bitterness, regret, denial, among many others. These may come at any time, in any order and in any combination. In fact, if you are not experiencing any of these check your pulse. These emotions are normal, even—in some cases—healthy. After all, you are human.
It’s not unusual for someone who needs you to fall into your path. You could just as easily fall into theirs. While you certainly shouldn’t go looking for these encounters, be silently prepared for them. There’s a reason you live on this planet and share its space with others. They need you. You need them.
Some perfect tomorrow does exist. It exists in an imperfect today. A shadowed yesterday. In empathy created every time we peek into another soul. In their struggle. In you.
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