I unexpectedly lost a good college friend in February, which led me to both experience and reflect on grief.
Then in March, Karin Purugganan (owner of the neighborhood gem Wonderologie) asked if I would contribute to the Del Ray Wellness blog. I’ve had the growing urge to write more recently. A large part of our local psychology practice includes conducting assessments of children and teens, resulting in plenty of report writing. But this seemed to be a new and timely opportunity to use my writings in a different way with a broader audience. And this suddenly also felt slightly daunting!
And I immediately heard my friend telling me to face that uncertainty and just do the thing – if not now, when? Those signals from people who are no longer physically with us are absolutely real and serve an important purpose. So this one’s for you, Nick.
We tend to focus on growth and rebirth each spring season, as the DC cherry blossoms bloom and the seeds we previously planted begin to sprout again. But isn’t there utility to attending to these very things every day, every season, every year? Time is actually a continuous flow and we often forget that, as we emphasize the beginnings and the ends – of seasons, school years, relationships, or even a good book. But our experience of all these live on, even after we “finish the last page.”
Loss, of any type, can be an abrupt reminder to soak in the present and eagerly look towards what is still ahead of us, even while we long for aspects of the past. These can all be true and occur simultaneously. Sloane Crosby describes this much more eloquently in her book “Grief is For People.”
It seems this blog may, in fact, be my new venue for reading recommendations!
Since 1994, Parkhurst Associates has been dedicated to serving the community by providing guidance on mental wellness journeys. They understand that each individual’s path is unique, which is why the team is committed to assembling clinicians from diverse backgrounds, ensuring representation of the communities we serve. Learn more at parkhurstassociates.com.
