Grief and the holidays.  What better an oximoron?  The holidays are usually associated with a time of joy and celebration; a time to be with family and friends.  Yet for those bereaved, it can be a time of great conflict and difficulty, loneliness too.

For newly bereaved, it might be a chore to even consider a time of joy.  For others, it might be a remembrance of those no longer with us.

We are often told that emotions are heightened on an anniversary of a loved one’s birthday, death and special anniversary and holidays that were spent together.  Even years later, and often not understanding why, a sense of grief may overwhelm us.  This is normal and gives confirmation to our philosophy that grief is NOT something one gets over.  Rather it travels with us as we move forward through our own journey with life.  The sense of grief we experience, however brief it may be, is a reminder of how deeply we hold and cherish our loved one within our heart and our mind.

Regardless of years gone by, it’s still okay to let others know what you are really feeling.

Studies show that remembering and celebrating the lives of those gone before us actually aids in a healthy grief recovery in that tears of sadness turn into smiles from the memories shared.  HealGrief encourages you to always remember, celebrate and honor those gone before us.  We invite you to do so by lighting a virtual candle that will forever shine brightly in HealGrief’s Candle Gallery.  We especially encourage you to take care of yourself as the holidays may be a difficult time triggering the sense of lose you may be feeling.