Jumpstart your new life.
Death had set a stop sign.
When a loved one dies, time seems to stop. It holds its breath. According to an old death ritual, the clocks were stopped. What probably had the practical purpose of recording the time of death, I experience today as a symbol for the extinction of time as a dimension of the deceased. She or he, they have been.
Death, this leap from being to have been, is so unbelievable that it takes your breath away, and it takes a while for the flow of time to become guidable again. I believe this break our spirit takes is essential for the bereaved to stay healthy. Getting from being to being again and reconnecting with the ongoing life takes time.
It is essential to understand that this in-between time is very different for people and, above all, is allowed to be different. Neither „Oh, already!“ nor „Oh, still!“ are appropriate here. However, it goes is right.
But then it’s about getting moving when the time is right. Some start cautiously, testing the temperature first. I like it differently. The Kentucky Counseling Center talks in an essay about „Jumpstarting your own life!“.
I like the image this phrase conjures up in my mind. I see someone jumping headfirst into the whole life. I also like the message it contains; because just starting is often an excellent idea.
I also mean getting moving literally, in the form of running, jogging, and being active in sports. Fast, rhythmic movement not only loosens our muscles. It also loosens knots of thought and feeling and brings our thinking and feeling back into the flow.
On the way to a fulfilled „life afterwards“, I recommend the following milestones:
– Talk openly about your feelings!
– Look for new contacts and reconnect with old ones!
– Remember how many strengths you have, and let them become effective again!
– Avoid alcohol and drugs. They will not help!
– Keep physically fit, of course, according to your age!
– In all this, keep to the pace that is good for you!
– If you have any questions or doubts, contact a professional counsellor or coach!
I believe everyone struggling with losing a loved one has the right to live a fulfilled life and that he or she also has the strength and the possibility to achieve this.
This will happen primarily if we, the people around you, treat you with appreciation, show interest in your condition and give you the necessary time for your development.