| How to respect your loved one facing grief |
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ARTICLE SUMMARY Archbishop Desmond Tutu won the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his work in apartheid movement in South Africa. He said “when you have a potentially terminal disease this gives new intensity to live”. By allowing the mind to focus on the important things in life you are able to live your remaining life to the fullest. You spend time with the things that matter to you - love of family, sounds of music, and the beauty of nature, God’s own creation. How to respect your dying loved one?
Your respect of their grieving process will build trust in your loved one. This trust can become the basis for anew found meaning in your relationship. By your actions you can show your support, your commitment and care for your loved one that she so desperately needs. How to respect your loved one facing grief FULL ARTICLE Archbishop Desmond Tutu won the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his work in apartheid movement in South Africa. He said “when you have a potentially terminal disease this gives new intensity to live”. By allowing the mind to focus on the important things in life you are able to live your remaining life to the fullest. You spend time with the things that matter to you - love of family, sounds of music, and the beauty of nature, God’s own creation. Respecting your loved one’s way of handling grief means to acknowledge their feelings, and allow them to live up to their own expectations. Allow them to daydream no matter how improbable. Respect their wish to deny their illness - however don’t be too supportive of their denial, but rather be supportive of your loved one. Your loved one does not need to live up to other’s expectations – instead they should create their own new expectations of themselves. This could be listening to their favorite music, or watching old movies with family. By sharing family time, meal time, birthdays and other events that are meaningful to your loved one grief is put out of their mind for the moment, giving them strength for when it may return. Facing fears is also a key element to working through grief. Helping your loved one express their fears by naming them – I am afraid of pain, I am afraid of dying alone – naming their fears is the first step in confronting them, and working through this stage of grief. Your respect of their grieving process will build trust in your loved one. This trust can become the basis for anew found meaning in your relationship. By your actions you can show your support, your commitment and care for your loved one that she so desperately needs. |