Friday, November 25, 2022

Black Friday

Today is Black Friday in a lot of parts of the world. This means that November is coming to an end. There is one month left in 2022.
For a lot of people who have experienced loss in the past year, this will be one of their many “FIRSTS" after the passing of their loved one.
They are NOT the shiny, bright, new experiences we like to think of.
They are the challenging realization that there will be one less place setting at the dinner table, one less person to buy Christmas gifts for, one less person to wrap your arms around and hug, to give kisses and well wishes to.
I remember my “first" Thanksgiving after Greg passed. The family went to my sister's cottage to “celebrate". I had set the dinner table for the extended family – I had set 13 dinner places.
When we all got to the table and sat, and someone noted the extra empty seating and asked, “Who's the extra setting for?"
I immediately knew what I had done…. We all bowed our heads in silence, and I finally said “Well remember how Greg loved his Turkey dinner? I'm sure he likes to think that we've set a spot for him".
At that point in time, he had been dead for 4 months, but old habits take longer to change those 4 months.
So, if you know someone that has lost a loved one this past year, a partner, a parent or a child, reach out to them during these difficult months to come. Their “Firsts" are happening to them all the time while your life has gone back to normal. Remember they are working on their new normal – working through a lot of hurt, loneliness, sadness and broken heartedness. This is the time to reach out to them. Put them on your busy calendar. Send a text, invite them for coffee, pop by, invite them for dinner – reach out in any way you feel is appropriate. Thoughtfulness costs you very little but will mean an awful lot to the person you are thinking of during the difficult days ahead. To them your actions are priceless!
This will be one way to spend big on Black Friday!
Take care
Tracey

Posted at 07:39 AM