Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.  The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.                                  Psalm 25:16-17

I wasn’t prepared for the loneliness, doubt and isolation I would come to feel after the death of my mother. I had experienced these emotions twenty years before when she had a stroke as a result of a brain aneurysm at the age of 59. We made it through that together; that wasn’t going to happen this time, obviously. Now what?

My friends and family were incredibly kind; but I was numb. I wanted to be alone in my grief.

One day several booklets on grieving arrived from my wise aunt who was with me when my mom died. These booklets made me realize that I was not alone in my grief. Reading about how others grieved and felt through this process gave me a glimmer of hope. Others’ stories and strategically placed Bible verses gently lead me back to allowing my faith to heal and comfort me.

I’ve started to share my own feelings with others about my mom’s death and her life. Being vulnerable, being a good listener and sharing words of love and hope have been restorative for me and hopefully helpful to others going through this difficult phase of life.

Prayer: “Let us not look for you only in memory, where we would grow lonely without you. You would want us to find you in presence, beside us when beauty brightens, when kindness glows and music echoes eternal tones....May you continue to inspire us; to enter each day with a generous heart, To serve the call of courage and love   until we see your beautiful face again in that land where there is no more separation, where all tears will be wiped from our mind, and where we will never lose you again.”   In God’s blessed name we pray. Amen.  

(Quoted from John O’Donohue “On the Death of The Beloved”)