Good Grief – Day 5

March 30, 2018


It was years after my son’s death. I was functioning pretty well by then. I was happy to be alive, enjoying my life. But then one of those grief waves came splashing over me, catching me by surprise.

I needed to go to the grocery store, but I couldn’t get motivated. Once there, I couldn’t figure out whether to use a large shopping cart or one of those smaller baskets. I chose the basket. Then I put that down; I only needed a few things.

I walked down the aisles, trying to carry everything in my arms. I kept dropping things and wasn’t able to pick them back up.

After I returned home, the wave eventually subsided, and I called a friend. I talked, she listened. There wasn’t much else for me to do.

Action: If a sudden wave of sadness hits, feel whatever you feel. If you are going through an extended grief process, don’t expect normal functioning from yourself. Go into survival mode. Put together an emergency-care kit: music, phone numbers of best friends, favorite movies, anything that helps you get through the moments. When your grief gets too intense, write a letter to the person you miss. Put it in a special place and ask God to deliver the message. Learn to honor this process of healing your hurts.

From the book: 52 Weeks of Conscious Contact

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About the author

In addiction and recovery circles, Melody Beattie is a household name. She is the best-selling author of numerous books.

One of Melody's more recent titles is The Grief Club, which was published in 2006. This inspirational book gives the reader an inside look at the miraculous phenomenon that occurs after loss--the being welcomed into a new "club" of sorts, a circle of people who have lived through similar grief and pain, whether it be the loss of a child, a spouse, a career, or even one's youth.

For more information about Melody and her books, visit the author's official website