I have been dealing with Grief for almost six years now, I have been leading a GriefShare group for four years, it has Helped me as much as the people I lead through their grief journey.
How many scars do you have on your body? When you look at these scars, do you remember the moment you received them, How, these injuries felt at the time? What caused them?
I can tell you every scar and how I received them the pain associated with them and how long they took to heal. For me, the scars I remember the most are the ones that hurt the most.
When you cut yourself, depending on the depth of the cut you might have to get stitches to close the skin at the top of the cut. But the underlying cut still has to heal, and you have to take care not to reopen the scar. Spiritual scars may heal on the top but the pain you associated with the scar remains. The worst type of scar can be the loss of someone or something you love very much. Grief is a soul scar that even though it looks healed could open at any time. Grief can ambush you from any area of your life that reminds you of the loss. Then the scar reopens, and salt poured in the wound.
This is the true nature of the grief journey; it is like climbing mount Everest, making it to the top then falling back down to the bottom. Repeatedly only each time you fall down the mountain, you fall a little less further from the top. For me I only fall a couple of inches from the top now, this has given me a unique position and understanding of those who are currently at the beginning of their journey.
I will say if you are looking at this and you live in Oklahoma City, we will begin a new GriefShare group in September at Capitol Assembly of God. Look on the GriefShare.com For dates and times.
T.Scott.Kisler 