I have walked past this street sign many times on walks through our neighborhood, but today it caught my eye and attention.
Often, during my journey through grief, since the loss of our youngest son, Kevin, I have spent time on "Weeping Way." I actually called the times when my grief was overwhelming my "weeping place."
This street sign says a lot to me personally. There is a street in my neighborhood named Weeping Way. This street goes both north and south, but if you notice, as I did, the arrow coming out of the cauldesac to the north points south and there is a sign posted that if you go north there is no way "out" becaue it is a dead end.
To me this was a warning to myself that I also experienced in the early years of my grieving the loss of our son that though I must give myself permission to grieve, if I stay too long in my "weeping place," that would be a dead end for me.
My grieving had to be part of my life, but it was important then and now for me to not stay on Weeping Way any longer than necessary to mourn the loss of my child. I knew deep inside my heart and soul that I must continue to move along, to keep walking and living.
As I companied with hundreds of moms "like me" as the Co-Founding Director of Mothers Like Me Grief Ministry for grieving moms for more than 10 years, all too often I would meet a mom who was having difficulty giving herself permission to grieve or was overwhelmed and overcome by unresolved grief, staying too long on "Weeping Way."
Perhaps, these unhealthy choices were made, because they did not want to dishonor or forget their child. Perhaps, it was because other unresolved grief piggy-backed on top of the grief connected to their child, or perhaps it was simply because the grief connected to the loss of their child caused crippling and paralyzing pain and sorrow. Some, were obviously unwilling to move along, away from Weeping Way, and many of them found themselves at a dead end.
As we are all individuals with unique personalities, stories and coping skills, so it is true that our grieving will be unique to us, as well. It is my heartfelt, hopeful prayer that we, however, will not stay too long on Weeping Way, but also not be afraid to walk down or pass that street from time to time, as we continue to miss our child, while seeking God's healing peace.
Walkng with Faith, Hope and Love,
Angie "a mom like you"
www.amotherlikeme.info
amotherlikeme@gmail.com
Often, during my journey through grief, since the loss of our youngest son, Kevin, I have spent time on "Weeping Way." I actually called the times when my grief was overwhelming my "weeping place."
This street sign says a lot to me personally. There is a street in my neighborhood named Weeping Way. This street goes both north and south, but if you notice, as I did, the arrow coming out of the cauldesac to the north points south and there is a sign posted that if you go north there is no way "out" becaue it is a dead end.
To me this was a warning to myself that I also experienced in the early years of my grieving the loss of our son that though I must give myself permission to grieve, if I stay too long in my "weeping place," that would be a dead end for me.
My grieving had to be part of my life, but it was important then and now for me to not stay on Weeping Way any longer than necessary to mourn the loss of my child. I knew deep inside my heart and soul that I must continue to move along, to keep walking and living.
As I companied with hundreds of moms "like me" as the Co-Founding Director of Mothers Like Me Grief Ministry for grieving moms for more than 10 years, all too often I would meet a mom who was having difficulty giving herself permission to grieve or was overwhelmed and overcome by unresolved grief, staying too long on "Weeping Way."
Perhaps, these unhealthy choices were made, because they did not want to dishonor or forget their child. Perhaps, it was because other unresolved grief piggy-backed on top of the grief connected to their child, or perhaps it was simply because the grief connected to the loss of their child caused crippling and paralyzing pain and sorrow. Some, were obviously unwilling to move along, away from Weeping Way, and many of them found themselves at a dead end.
As we are all individuals with unique personalities, stories and coping skills, so it is true that our grieving will be unique to us, as well. It is my heartfelt, hopeful prayer that we, however, will not stay too long on Weeping Way, but also not be afraid to walk down or pass that street from time to time, as we continue to miss our child, while seeking God's healing peace.
Walkng with Faith, Hope and Love,
Angie "a mom like you"
www.amotherlikeme.info
amotherlikeme@gmail.com
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