Many agree 2020 was the worst year in their lives. The Covid quarantine harmed so many. It mattered not the age, from grandparents longing to see their loved ones to those dying alone in hospitals, grief blanketed the world. It was in that year that HHH and I became widowed.
During that horrible year, it wasn’t possible to receive comforting care and love from friends and neighbors. Those living away couldn’t easily book flights without the worry that they might contract Covid on their travels. Neighbors watched each other to make sure no one had more than six people in a gathering. Churches shuttered. All this under the watchful eye of the all-knowing government that blew this terribly.
Then, to add to the misery, funeral homes and churches were closed to funerals and memorials. While I resorted to using the gardens of Winterpast to memorialize my husband, HHH waited six months after his death to honor his wife.
To add insult to injury, seventeen days after my loss, I bought and sold a house. Little did I know that when I moved in, there was a gentleman living across town that I’d marry someday. My thoughts of someday were distant, dark, and lonely. During that year, I wasn’t’ sure there would be a “happy someday” for me.
Six miles away from Winterpast’s door, HHH’s grieved with one small difference. He’d lived in our town since he was five and it was already his home. A huge family was there to offer support during the black days he needed them the most.
During those days, we both needed the support of people who understood, like those journeying through the wilderness of grief. Those much-needed groups didn’t exist.
A few months ago, I asked our pastor a question. Why didn’t our town have a support group for those in grief?
To this, he suggested that HHH and I could start one if we felt called to do so.
And so, a new chapter has opened. Yesterday, we held our first meeting. Our group will meet for 15 weeks, ending in early March. During that time, we’ll learn about the stages of grief, changes that occur after a death, and ways to cope with daily problems with God’s help.
After much thought and planning, the afternoon was a success. Everyone enjoyed snacks and coffee while sharing their stories of loss and healing. It’s good to know these friends don’t need to endure the darkness of grief alone. No one should grieve alone.
Whatever you do today, if grief has you down, don’t wait. Find a support group to help you on your journey. Although everyone grieves in their own special way, the comfort of others on their own journeys can be a huge help.
More tomorrow.