Losing a spouse is one of the hardest things anyone will ever have to go through. While I have never been married nor have I lost a spouse, my dad has. My mom passed away almost a decade ago, and he has been handling grief in his own way. Like many men, my dad was taught never to show emotions and never cry, even from a young age.
There have only been two times in my entire life that I have seen my dad cry, and one of these times was when my mom passed away. It broke my heart in ways that cannot be articulated. My sisters and I had lost our mom, and my dad lost his wife. The pain and sorrow of losing someone so close to you is never taught to us as children or even as adults. We are left to navigate our pain, feelings, and grief on our own.
This is something that my dad has had to do, and I'm sure you are also having to process your grief in the aftermath of the death of your spouse. My heart goes out to you; all the love, support, and kindness from the Lord is surrounding you. No matter what you feel right now, know it is valid. Whether you are feeling sorrowful, angry, or upset, all of your feelings are valid and not one goes unnoticed by God.
After witnessing my dad process grief, I have been able to learn many lessons. While none of these lessons were taught directly, I have observed them through my father amidst his own personal grief. I, too, have my own grief, which I'm still processing; however, those lessons are for another day. Here are five lessons in grief after losing your spouse.
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