Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Further Reading

Colin,

Daddy found this article (ref) about parental grief that is very helpful in understanding and explaining a lot about what every grieving parent goes through in one way or another. Below is an excerpt from the article with some highlighted text that explains why I continue your blog. A few times I have thought about shutting it all down because some days it is too painful to write, but I do anyway. Articles like this help me realize that I am doing my best to try to find ways to live up to last paragraph below and make you, Ava, and Mommy proud of the man I am trying to be.

I love you!
Daddy

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There is no more devastating loss than the death of a child. Losing a child is a disruption in the natural law and order of life. It is heartbreak like no other. Parental grief is different from other grief—it lasts longer and is more intense. Yet, for most grieving parents, the hope and desire that healing will come eventually persists.

“Children are not supposed to die. . . . Parents expect to see their children grow and mature. Ultimately,parents expect to die and leave their children behind. . . . This is the natural course of life events, the life cycle continuing as it should. The loss of a child is the loss of innocence, the death of the most vulnerable and dependent. The death of a child signifies the loss of the future, of hopes and dreams, of new strength, and of perfection.”

Parents who lose a child seek ways to continue to love, honor, and value the life of that child and to make the child’s presence known and felt in the lives of family and friends. Bereaved parents often try to live their lives more fully and generously because of this painful experience.

1 comment:

  1. Great article. I think Im going to post in on our blog for all our absent friends and family to read. Your an inspiration Steven. Thank you for keeping Colin's memory alive and letting us share it with you. Take care.

    Ernesto

    ReplyDelete