Remember the Reason for the Season.

Pounding the pavement this morning, in an attempt to get in some mileage before the pending storm, I realized something important. It crossed my mind that no matter how many Moving Forward Blogs or Blogtalkradio podcasts I do, grief will continue for many. We experience loss all the time. This is a given.

During this winter season, where many are forced to reflect on these losses, it can be unbearable. Regardless of what I write or share on the topic, these people are still going to struggle. That is okay. This is the process. We must go through the stages of grief until we gain a level of acceptance and have redefined ourselves in a way that serves.

At the moment, I find myself tired, not only from the school year, but from the topic of grief and loss.  My intention to do this blog for the Haddam-Killingworth Patch, and Blogtalkradio segment wasn’t to be an expert on grief and loss. I simply thought I would share a little of my experience with the hope that it would impact others to move forward. Knowing this, I am taking a break from both mediums, effectively immediately, and looking to go in a different direction utilizing my website.

While these mediums might have served some, for myself it has shown me how far I have come in the years since my brother’s death. The loss of a sibling, a twin, is unique to those who experience such an occurrence. I can empathize with others that still anguish within and struggle to redefine themselves without their loved ones; yet I have a new understanding and appreciation that looking back can be detrimental.

Some continue to get stuck in those dark moments and times, and lose sight of the present. We lose the ability to look ahead towards the future and how our lives can impact others positively. We are here to embody love, to share, and be love. Surely those who have passed over would like us to move on and open our hearts fully again.

During the remainder of this holiday season, I challenge all who are struggling to remember the reason for this season. For those who are Christian, focus on the love that brought Jesus into this world for him to share with others. If you are not Christian, focus on those moments that have brought joy and contentment to your lives and think about how to share those with others.