THE LETTER I WROTE TO MY LOST LOVE

My path to restoration is paved with family, friendships, and the healing power of my grief group. In the safety of my group space, we get each other’s pain on a level that is forged by our devastating loss. We are bonded in yearning and lamentation on a deep level that is both distressing but also immensely comforting. We are halfway through an 18-month commitment and a few weeks ago, we were faced with a heartbreaking task. Our assignment was to write a letter to our loved ones, telling them why we miss them, touching on special memories and thanking them for the glorious times we shared. C’mon! Is there enough Kleenex to cover this one? I still can’t look at a picture without Niagara Falls cascading from my eyes. Then a few weeks after that, I was given the task of writing a letter from Peter to me which was less devastating but still required multiple snot rags. Each member of our group dutifully wrote and sobbed our way through the readings. Our mutual feeling of comfort was a miraculous way to heal and feel that in our shared loss, we could move forward as one with a little help from some very caring friends.

– Laurie Burrows Grad

About Laurie Burrows Grad
Grief Blogger, Cookbook Author,
television chef, food journalist, and
activist/fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association.