The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not ‘get over’ the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same nor would you want to.
- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
The death of a loved one demands a pause in routine. It is a roadblock with a sign that says: “Stop what you are doing and acknowledge this life and all that it meant.” A death calls out for the gathering of community and loved ones. It is a painful and sacred moment. A funeral is a ritual that can create this space. You can find professionals who will offer this kind of support in a variety of ways. Funeral homes offer individuals who can conduct a funeral. A church will have a pastor or a temple will have a rabbi or a mosque will have an imam. These options might feel like good choice to you. Others might find that they need someone who can offer a consecrated space for their loved one because of unique circumstances. Perhaps, your loved one and your family has not felt welcomed in conventional faith communities. You need someone who truly will honor your loved one’s life and the beauty it was in this world.
In other situations, you might need someone who can come alongside of your faith leader to create an environment that is sensitive to your unique needs. You might need a pastoral session to talk through your grief. Whatever your needs are, the pastoral leaders at Unstuck can offer you respect, honor, and a cherishing of life.
Why rituals? Rituals are a marker that acknowledges and honors the past while embracing hope for the future. Rituals have a way of providing a sacred pause in the midst of an ordinary life. Rituals offer space for our inner worlds and outer worlds to mingle and find congruence. In a world that is often lived in isolation and with distance, rituals bring people together, help us connect, and create a sense of belonging. Rituals lead us in the important and healing work of meaning making and creating purpose. Rituals are rites of passages that help us connect the threads of our lives into a meaningful tapestry and story. Rituals tell the story of our lives.