You know life is full of struggles, responsibilities, and moments when it feels like everything is weighing us down. There is something powerful that can counteract all that — the joy of action!
Joy isn’t just about having a trouble-free life. It’s about finding peace and contentment in the midst of it. If you haven’t already, you will go through some degree of loss in your life. The older we get, the more we hear of friends and family who have fought the good fight and now gone on to their reward. Their absence is our sorrow. We may have depended upon that person for all sorts of things: help with opening a jar, cleaning, preparing our meals, enjoying a vacation, or just sitting around for a good laugh or saying nothing at all. Many people have been totally destroyed because of their inability to deal with the grief that comes from a loss. We all should know that it is natural and normal to grieve and express tears and sorrow. This alone can relieve stress from our thoughts and body.
I read about a man who lost his very best friend. His friend died under very tragic circumstances and way too early in life. The distress and grief this man endured was quite painful and no matter how much others tried to comfort him, the sadness continued day and night until something changed. He knew he could not, nor would not, ever forget the love and respect he had for his friend so he decided to climb out of his sorrows by doing something which would bring his friend remembrance and honor. He got involved in a constructive activity rather than isolating himself in almost paralyzed solitude, which can intensify and prolong grief.
My friend now had a purpose, a goal, and endeavored to see it through. His goal served to take his mind off the despairing grief of loss and, in the process, it also helped others to do the same. He took the gifts and talents he had seen in his friend and created a new energy
to be shared with others. He used the lessons he learned from his friend to make a practical application for the future. He looked at the strengths and talents that made his friend special and used them as an example for a tribute and remembrance.
Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it?
We never know the extent to which a person is grieving. The ability to give comfort takes empathy and some understanding of that person. Patience, the willingness to understand and love will go a long way in healing a broken spirit. The absolute necessity to channel grief into constructive endeavors will help a person to build up their life again.
So, get up on your feet. Begin that creative act. You don’t have to forget! Just find that special joy and act on it!
Need some help with that? Johns Hopkins Guided Care ® plan is a proven comprehensive care plan which integrates input from the nurse and the primary care providers and the patient. This plan works especially well for the high-risk people, such as Parkinson’s disease patients. For more information about how Guided Care® can help you, contact Youthful Aging Home Care.
Lani Kelly is a research writer for Youthful Aging Home Care.
