Our Shared Brand of Sorrow: Grieving in Order to Heal

These words from the heart were submitted by Clarissa Shepherd, author of Find Your Way: A Guide to Living with CFIDS and Fibromyalgia, and founder of the inspiring Fellow Travelers FMS & ME/CFS support and chat Facebook group. As always thank you, Clarissa.

Grieving in Order to Heal

We shed our tears for a while and then began our day.

For me, it’s not only about where I am today, but about how long I've been here.

Unlike some illness, when we speak of ours, it’s in terms of years, not days or weeks. We all suffer at its hands, the loss of things undone, lives not lived, events missed and the days yet to come.

Then there are the times when an event in our lives brings up painful memories. Some even taking us back to the time that we first got sick.

We then feel as if we're right back there, in the thick of that early pain. It can be overpowering and scary. Leaving us in a state of grief.

We don't have to dwell on this grief, yet we must see it, feel it, and release it, each time it comes to the surface.

Otherwise, it comes back the next time, with reinforcements. Ignoring it doesn't cause it to go away. It only encourages it somehow.

My hope for us would be, that through all of the grieving, we'll forgive ourselves for being in this place, not of our own making.

In order to move forward, we must grieve our loss or we may find ourselves stuck within the walls of our illness. So grieve, cry, release, and live the best life you can, for each day. Knowing you're not alone in your brand of sorrow.

We walk this path together, in order that the journey may be a bit lighter. Healing can not begin until we let go.

- Clarissa Shepherd