Coming to Terms With Death

“The news of my father’s death left me in a state of shock and despair. I was overwhelmed by guilt because I hadn’t been at his side when he died. Nothing can compare to the deep pain from the loss of a loved one. I miss my dad so much!”​—Sara.

“No Time for Me to Grieve”

Consider the experience of Nathaniel, a young man whose mother died when he was 24. “At first, I was bewildered,” he says. “I felt that I had to be a support to my dad and to many of my mother’s distraught friends. There was no time for me to grieve.”

After more than a year, Nathaniel found that he still had not come to terms with his own loss. “Dad still occasionally calls to mourn,” he says, “and that’s a good thing. He needs to talk about it, and I’m happy to help. It’s just that when I need support, I feel as if I have nowhere to turn.”

“The House Felt Empty Without Her”

Loneliness is perhaps one of the greatest challenges faced by those who have lost a loved one. For example, Ashley was 19 when her mother died of cancer. “Afterward, I felt completely lost and alone,” she says. “My mother was my best friend. We spent so much time together!”

Understandably, Ashley found it difficult to come home each day and realize that her mother was not there. “The house felt empty without her,” she says. “Many times I just went to my room and cried while I looked at pictures of her and thought about the things we used to do together.”