Mourning the Life You Once Had
You look in the mirror, and all you see are the crow’s feet and gray hairs popping out of your eyebrows. You wake up, and the moments of chaos, messy fingerprints on the refrigerator door, and piles of laundry from your children are no longer there. You come home to an empty house now because someone left, even though you made a promise to one another. Many people experience grief, but you might be surprised how many of the grief-stricken people you encounter are not grieving the loss of a close family member, friend, or even pet. They have lost a previous version of themselves or life that they long for. Everything Changes Life changes, and it takes with it our careers, our social status, and even our youthful bodies. Maybe you have been recently fired from a job you loved or one that you voluntarily left, hoping to pursue something bigger and better. Perhaps your friend group, the one that seemed so solid and united, has fractured over gossip or misunderstandings. It could be that your once pristine complexion has become withered with wrinkles, as if it has morphed into a road map that could take you back to the life you once lived. Maybe it is that the person you thought you would spend the rest of your life with suddenly chooses to walk out. There are endless ways and reasons your life can change, and most of them are beyond your control. No one has a funeral for their youth or wears black to mourn the loss of their best friend who moved to Cleveland. Still, it is perfectly normal to wake up one morning and mourn the life you once had. It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle and bustle while juggling the [...]
