What to Do When Someone Dies and There Was No Time for Goodbyes Self Help Articles | March 15 Texans Whitney Mercilus Jersey , 2007 Fatal automobile accidents and heart attacks, hurricanes, murders, and many other unexpected events are the catalysts for much anxiety and deeply felt grief. Additional pain occurs when there was no time to say goodbye. This article suggests how this pain can be alleviated.
Not infrequently Texans Johnathan Joseph Jersey , death occurs and surviving family members and friends do not have the opportunity to say goodbye to the loved one who died. Fatal automobile accidents and heart attacks, hurricanes, murders, and many other unexpected events are the catalysts for much anxiety and deeply felt grief.
Many survivors are guilt ridden when in fact there is clearly no outward cause for such guilt. They did nothing wrong. Yet Texans Jadeveon Clowney Jersey , unexpected death often wipes out our ability to see that we did not create the circumstances to cause the emotion being experienced.
Sometimes dying people choose to die when those close to them are not present in order to spare them additional pain. Also, it is not uncommon for a person to die in a hospital or hospice setting when a family member is rushing to get there. All of the pain of these events is maximized by the thought of not being with the person at the end.
So what can be done to reduce emotional pain and provide support in the face of deep sadness? Plenty. One or more of the following can prove helpful.
? Say goodbye in a private setting. I often tell those who are mourning the death of a loved one that there is nothing wrong with talking to the person who has died. It is a successful coping response used by millions of people and a meaningful way to say goodbye. Find a quiet room in your home, place a picture or other symbol of the loved one across from you, and say whatever you need to say. Explain why you were not there Texans Lamar Miller Jersey , why you are sorry, and that your love will always be with the person. If you believe in an afterlife, ask the person to send you a sign that they have heard you and are okay.
? Be sure to go to the funeral service and the viewing of the body. The funeral is traditionally the time and place where you get to say goodbye to the person who died
(something all children should be told). It can especially be your informal opportunity to say your goodbyes. If you are unable to attend the scheduled service time or showing, then find someone to go with you at another time when you can view the deceased.
It is very important for you Texans DeAndre Hopkins Jersey , especially on an unconscious level, to have seen the person who died.
? Write your goodbyes in your diary or a letter. Writing thoughts and descriptions of feelings can provide a profound emotional and physical release. Write as though you are speaking directly to your loved one and be specific. Put an I Love You in it, and that you will never forget the person. When you are burdened by your thoughts of not having said goodbye, reread what you have written. You may also want to add something else to your writing at this time.
? Write or paste messages to the loved one on a biodegradable helium-filled balloon for release. This can be a wonderful opportunity for a ritual of goodbye as you watch the balloon ascend into the sky. It will give you a planned occasion to think of your loved one if you are alone or discuss memories of the loved one if it is a group or family ritual.
Be sure you purchase a biodegradable balloon as others are very damaging to wildlife and the environment.
? Learn to refocus your attention and thoughts. When guilt and anxiety arise over the unintended event of not being able to say goodbye Texans J.J. Watt Jersey , an important survival skill involves immediately refocusing your attention. First, believe that the loved one understands your inability to say goodbye and would not hold a grudge. Then divert your awareness to a pleasant memory of the deceased or visualize her forgiving you. Change what is happening in the moment. This technique takes practice but it is a powerful coping response to develop and can be used for dealing with many other unwanted thoughts.
These approaches for dealing with not being able to say goodbye have a common goal: the acceptance of one of the sad events often associated with the death of a loved one. In the final analysis, each person has the ability to say a belated goodbye, let go of anxiety Texans Cullen Gillaspia Jersey , recognize that separations without goodbye happen often, and start on the long road of reinvesting in life.
Magical Memories of a Carport Family Articles | March 1, 2010 A carport can be a place of magic and wonder, as well as a functional structure. Here are a few fond memories from my childhood Texans Kahale Warring Jersey , and a carport may be the source of great memories for your kids, too.
A carport may not be the stuff of dreams, or even much of anything else, but I actually have a really fond association with them from my childhood. When I was about 9 I lived in Phoenix Texans Max Scharping Jersey , AZ and it was hot! We had a small front yard and would have the occasional water fight with Dad. Of course, he got the hose and we kids got a little bucket or something. Getting hit with a stream of cool water out of the hose was our true desire, in spite of the squeals of protest. I remember this one time when my Mom had been watching Dad "pick on the babies" and couldn't take it any longer. Mom to the rescue! She called me into the kitchen where she revealed the most wonderful scheme I'd ever heard.