I sit here in my office during my hour break taking in the meaning of Father’s day to many daughters who have lost their fathers or have never met their fathers. Today is not an easy day for many daughters; Not only did they lose their fathers, but also lost a part of themselves in the process and this part of them re-experiences the loss heavier than any other days in the year.
As a therapist, I, too, have experienced many losses in life and that makes part of my work around grief and loss very special because I get it, I get how painful it is to lose the person you love beyond death. I put time in acquiring training in grief and loss / death and dying to help serve those who continue to feel pain from their losses.
Death is a part of life and the truth is birth is the major cause of death. Our society has conditioned us to be afraid of death and dying and therefore we tend not to talk about it. This belief only perpetuates isolation and hinders many of us from opening up to the painful emotions surrounding the loss which is the ultimate source of healing.
To those who are struggling today, try to connect with your father/dad in spirit. Use art to connect and be creative. I invite you to lean in to your pain, get to know it, befriend it, and be curious about what it could be teaching you (e.g. new life and relationship perspectives).
Death has been my biggest teacher. Learning about death has taught me how to live and learning about life has taught me how to die.
I share a photo of myself and my beloved Dad. He was a very special person to me and losing him has brought me into this field to help those who are struggling.
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