Grief and Wellness

I firmly believe that experiencing a traumatic event can bring to light health issues that have been lying beneath the surface of our skin. I know for myself, my state of health was made very well known to me after my Mother passed. My formerly clear skin, broke out into an angry aggression of cystic acne.

It's July and today I received a flyer in the mail from Joann's fabric. The header claims "Craftsmas in July" sale. Feelings of anxiety and grief flood my mind and tears come to my eyes. It's only July and already I have to be preparing for how to deal with emotions come Christmas time.

Grief was the big ticket that led me to my journey of nutrition and healing my body. I lost my Mother quickly and painfully and was left with a myriad of emotions I had to wade through. There was no jumping over it or going around it. I had to tackle it head on. Since my husband was being medically retired from the military and we had just transferred to our new duty station where I had yet to make a friend, I was stuck dealing with my grief on my own. It wasn't pleasant, but it did allow me the opportunity to learn a lot about myself and about how the body and mind heal.

Grief is easier to deal with when things are busy. Daily routines and structure provided me a safe shelter from having to face my feelings. Homeschooling my young girls, preparing meals for my family and keeping up with housework kept my mind occupied. In fact, the simplest time of my Mother's death was surrounding the memorial service and the days following. People were everywhere. Dropping by the house, bringing food. It was a sweet intermission for me so that I didn't have to face my new reality. I could talk with friends, share memories, and have a bite to eat all the while delaying the fate of my new reality.

I was surviving okay. I sobbed in my moments alone, but the structure of life kept me going. Then the holidays came. Thanksgiving and Christmas, especially, force everyone and everything to stop. Time seems to stand still. There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. I was forced to face my new reality. I was forced to recognize that my future with my Mother no longer existed. She was now only a beautiful memory and someone I will one day be reunited with in Heaven.

A large part of health and wellness isn't only the foods we eat, but also our emotional, mental and spiritual state. This can be frustrating because oftentimes it is easier to change what we eat than it is to face where we are emotionally.

If you are currently in a state of emotional trauma, stress or grievance I am here to encourage you and uplift you. Allow yourself time to go through these changes. Recognize any health concerns that have shown themselves to you during this time and realize that they may take a long time to heal. One lesson my experience has taught me is that sometimes you have to create a "new normal". This realization helped me heal so much. I still miss my Mother dearly and the thought of facing Christmas again without her here is very difficult. However, I realize that I must not expect things to be the way they were when she was alive. I must create a new normal, a new pattern, a new tradition. Treasuring each moment with my family I still have on this earth and looking forward to the day when once again I see my Mother's face.