by Greg Lincoln
Bereaved parents may feel an overpowering sense or feeling to protect their other children. It is like a heightened parental reflex or response after the loss of a beloved child. Why? Because the thought of losing another precious part of you and having to suffer again, the fear of irreversible additional loss, and the fear of feeling that pain again that floods their souls and minds is too much to bear.
Protect our children, oh Lord!
As parents, we need to continue to be there for our children through these days of grief and forevermore. To provide them with guidance and to be a strong reassuring presence. They need our help as we ourselves need help.
Where do we draw the strength to be strong when we are so weak? It is from you, our supporters, our friends and family, our church, and from your prayers.
That gives us hope.
And it is also from each other. My greatest source of earthly strength comes from my lovingest Kelly. She, who is so amazing, the heart of our home, the light of my world, is the one who bears and shares this great sorrow with me. There is strength in numbers, and she is my number one. Can we do this together? We are trying.
As grieving humans, the pain of our loss is always present within us and will be until the end of time. There are still dark days when we succumb to our pain and we feel the shock and the tears come, our bodies wracked with such deep hurt and sorrow. Our hearts broken again over and over and endless suffering is what it feels like.
Our wish for you is to never feel this pain that we are going through.
But do we need to allow ourselves to be able to feel happiness at every possible chance when the opportunity presents itself? Maybe, yes. Sometimes when we laugh we feel like, what in the world are we doing laughing? We just lost someone we love and we should not be doing this!
It sometimes feels wrong, but if you think about it, your beloved wants you to be happy – they want you to continue on with life instead of staying mired in the muck of despair. They want you to be strong for the ones they love, which are also the same ones that you love. You share the same devotions, wants, hopes, dreams.
Despite our grief and our deep resounding sadness, our human nature allows us to feel joy again and we are thankful for this inexplicable phenomenon. In the midst of sadness, there can be a certain kind of joy, the kind that brings forth laughter.
Now what could possibly be funny. For one, our dogs. They make us laugh and they are just being themselves – good natured, love-loving, adventurous, eager to please. And being dog people, we love them like they are our other children. Loving a dog raises our happiness levels the natural way, the good way. How wonderful is that?
Many folks from far and wide have continued to express their condolences and prayers for our family. Quyana cakneq! Thank you for your heartfelt letters and beautifully-written cards – they impact us so deeply as do your thoughtful gifts.
And now a new year is upon us, thank you Lord. Please give special care to those who are brokenhearted and bereaved – recent or longstanding. To all our friends, our readers, and contributors – we wish you a blessed New Year and a blessed Slaaviq season.
