NASHVILLE INJURY ATTORNEY: HOW TO FIND SUPPORT ON DARK DAYS
Where do we turn when the unthinkable happens, and our loved ones are suddenly gone from our lives?
In a recent interview, author Marie Mutsuki Mockett explained how a Japanese custom known as Tōrō nagashi helped her come to terms with the loss of her father. Late one night in August, everyone goes to a river or ocean and puts a paper lantern into the water as the sun sets. Each lantern represents a loved one who has passed on. Amidst the darkness, Mockett saw that the river was illuminated by all the lanterns, and she realized how many people are hurting from loss. Feeling less alone, she says she found this comforting.
She said that while she could not make the pain go away, she could broaden her horizons and expand her concept of community. “[T]he backdrop against which I missed him could be larger, which had the effect of making that pain feel less,” she said.
Her sentiments lend credence to an old adage: joy shared is joy increased; grief shared is grief decreased. By finding others to share your pain with, you can lessen your burden.
STRUGGLING WITH A LOVED ONE’S DEATH – WHERE CAN I TURN?
We have written before about the value of turning to your community for help after a devastating loss. Such a loss recently occurred to a beloved dentist in Sequoya Trail, Tennessee. He was active in his church: he served as a deacon, he taught Bible classes and he assisted with youth activities. An avid cyclist, he was killed in a bicycle accident when a car hit him on a bend in the road.
The Columbia Daily Herald says that the man’s dentist office was closed the following Monday, and that the office had received many visitors and calls from supportive members of the community when the office re-opened. A message on the church’s answering machine informed callers about the man’s tragic and sudden passing. He leaves behind a wife and two sons.
REACH OUT FOR HELP AFTER A TRAGIC ACCIDENT
Ask your spiritual leader about any local groups that can help you work through your pain and suffering. If you are not a spiritual person, you can find grief counseling meetings where you can talk through everything you’re going through. Finding others who are experiencing similar struggles can help give you the strength to keep going.
Personal injury attorney Stanley A. Davis has helped family members of lost loved ones find the strength and resources to move on after a sudden tragedy disrupts their lives.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2