Dealing with Grief and Loss

We can never escape death. It is inevitable and yet when a loved one or a close friend died we suffered a great range of emotions. We desperately try to avoid the hurt, the pain, anxiety and feelings of helplessness we feel when we lost a loved one. Then we feel like life has gone back to normal, until at least we realized that our lives changed irrevocably.
Grieving for someone helps us cope and heal for the loss. The intense anguish that is heart breaking shows that a deep connection has been severed or damaged. Undoubtedly, grieving is painful but it is necessary.
Accordingly, the following are the pattern of phases many of us experience in coping with death.
Denial
AngerrnBargaining
Depression
Acceptancer
There is no structure or timetable for the process of grieving. The lists above are just common responses to loss. Understanding grief and the common symptoms of depression/stress are helpful in times of grief.
Besides understanding how stress can take toll physically, emotionally and spiritually on every person, we all need to understand that there are practical guidelines to ease the process. The process includes taking care of our bodies, spending time with each other and trying to reach out to the church community.