MY FIRST LOSS
My earliest memory of loss was Charlie. In moving back to the US after four years in England Charlie was mysteriously misplaced. That was the explanation, misplaced, I had doubts and to this day, I till do.
Charlie was my teddybear and closest friend.
I was five years old, brokenhearted and crushed, and that’s not pulling on the knot too hard. But I soldiered on and let him go, mostly.
SOME LATER LOSSES
Losses of greater proportion were in my future. I’ve known heart breaking, gut wrenching and mind numbing loss. I expect most of us have.
Some Of My Greater Losses:
- a stillborn child
- friends in fatal accidents
- death of family members
- shattered relationships
Losses That Were Not People
- a forced exit
- my self-respect
- losing much when much was at stake
- losing hope and accepting defeat
THE HARDEST LOSSES
There is no greater loss than the one that rips your heart out, such as the sudden death of a loved spouse, the death of your child, or the gut wrenching pain of an unwanted divorce.
Loss comes in all sizes, flavors, and stages of life. Loss comes to us all, there are no exemptions. It can so overwhelm us that we get lost in our losses. They defeat us, take away our joy, and hover over us like dark, low hanging clouds.
Will we defeat the debilitating effects of loss or will they define us for life?
In Part Two of, “Overcoming Loss,” I’ll address the above questions as best I can. I hope to give encouragement and valuable suggestions laced with wisdom.
But for now I’ll leave you with this quote from President Lyndon Johnson,
“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.”
Do you believe that? Does it work for you? Overcoming a lingering loss can seem a mountain to steep to climb. But there is hope. Don’t give up.
Look for Part Two on Wednesday morning.
