Articles Worth Reading: "You're Not Suffering One Loss, You're Suffering Many"

I just discovered this interesting article over at the Vitas Healthcare website: "You're Not Suffering One Loss, You're Suffering Many".  When we really think about it, there are actually multiple losses we suffer when we experience the death of a loved one.  The article lists over 20 ways we can feel loss.  Some of the more relevant, in my own personal case, include a loss of self-confidence, a loss of known family structure, loss of direction, and a loss of ability to see choices.  Do I feel like this all the time?  No, for me a lot of these feelings ebb and flow from day to day, or even throughout the day.  It's definitely worth a few minutes to read and go through the entire list -- the article does a really good job of clarifying a lot of the feelings and emotions people struggle with while they're grieving.

Personal Musings: When Our Loved Ones Suffer

A few days ago I was ruminating on the loss of my mother and our pets.  It occurred to me that there was something almost inconsistent in the way I was processing my losses.  When my mom and Carter and Milton were sick and not doing well, it usually did not stop me from getting a decent night's sleep.  Now that they have all transitioned away from earthly life, getting rest is sometimes more difficult.  Why is that?  The easy answer is that I'm still grieving their loss of companionship, even though they have all more than likely been freed from all pain and suffering.  Shouldn't I be celebrating, then?  And shouldn't I have been MORE concerned and worried about their well-being when they were still around and in the pain and discomfort they were in?  I almost feel like I'm a hypocrite, maybe even a bit inhuman.  I'm beginning to realize that grief exposes a lot about who we are as individuals, and sometimes those traits are things that I never would have suspected before.