GRIEF

Definition of Grief:
Intense sorrow, especially caused by someone’s death.

Synonyms of Grief:
Sorrow, sadness, anguish, distress, suffering, desolation, etc.

These notes are from recovery in AA and/or related 12 step programs. Readers are encouraged to click external links for more detail. We hope you find them helpful.

Love in fellowship.

Death cannot be understood except as an unknown part of life.
It is a sad occasion when we must say goodbye to a loved one.

We may wish to grieve for something else we’ve lost, like fading youth, a job, a possession, or a habit we had come to enjoy.  It’s natural to feel grief over things like this, too.

When we share about our losses and sad feelings with others, we turn our losses into gain. We heal ourselves, pay tribute to those we grieve for, and share an intimate sense of loss with someone else. –Today’s Gift | More…

Often we have to face some type of crisis during our recovery, such as the death of a loved one… Our grief may be so powerful that we fear it will completely overwhelm us—but it will not.

Our sorrow may hurt more than anything we can remember, but it will pass. Death and grieving are parts of the fullness of living “life on life’s terms.”

By allowing ourselves the freedom to experience these feelings, we partake more deeply of both our recovery and our human nature. We might find that the death of someone we love helps strengthen our conscious contact with our Higher Power.

If we remember that we can always turn to that source of strength when we are troubled, we will be able to stay focused on it no matter what may be going on around us. –Just for Today | More…

We do not have to be controlled unduly by our grief, or our pain.
We will know when it’s time to break the routine of grieving.

A new activity may help trigger the transformation process. Do something to encourage and help the new energy coming your way.It may be time to emerge. –The Language of Letting Go/Melody Beattie | More…

Sharing our troubles with our partner or close friends lightens our burden and restores our balance. Sharing with others pulls us out of isolation and brings our friends and mate into the circle of our lives.

Grief may make us feel more alone than anything. When we reach out and talk with our friends or mate, we break down the wall of isolation and build bridges that connect us. –The More We Find In Each Other | More…

It’s important to let ourselves grieve. But we do not have to be controlled unduly by our grief, or our pain. A new activity may help trigger the transformation process. Do something to encourage and help new energy come your way. We may not feel like breaking out of grief. It may feel safer, easier, to remain in our cocoon. Begin pushing out anyway. –The Language of Letting Go | More…

Grief is unbearable. Then it fades, only to come back at a moment’s notice. It catches you off guard. It sends you to bed. It sends you to dark places until, God willing, you get up and try again. –Maria Shriver