The Pain of losing Loved Ones

Remembering a loved one who has already left you can be so moving and brings up all kinds of emotions, but the best ones are times when we remember the love we had for them and the love they had for us. There are times when, for no reason at all, their memory will suddenly appear and we will remember their quirky little ways or perhaps something they had said or done and it will make us smile or perhaps laugh out loud. It helps alleviate the sadness when we can focus on the happy memories, the funny stories and recall the special moments that meant so much to us, rather than how much we miss them. Their memory becomes alive and they are here with us as we relive a special memory.

Though we are physically apart from our loved ones, I believe spiritually they are here with us. We don't know what happens after a person dies, but it makes me feel better to think of them as angels guiding us through life. In the movie "City of Angels" there are scenes of angels whispering into people's ears, putting thoughts in their subconscious mind, to help guide them through their life or to prevent an accident. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that is what happens - that our loved ones become our guardian angels? If we were quiet enough and cleared our head of all those busy thoughts, could we feel their love surround us and know they were still with us? I've never been able to do that, but certainly wish I could. I believe it would help us heal knowing that they were still with us; guiding us through our life.

We are people not bound by blood, but by the unity of spirit. We are different, but yet we are very similar. We share many of the same experiences and adversities of life such as, hopes, fears and the pain of losing loved ones.

"Death is nothing else but going home to God,

the bond of love will be unbroken for all eternity."

- Mother Teresa