Loss and Grieving

There are some life lessons that your hope to put off for as long as possible. This week we dealt with loss and grieving. We lost Great-Grandma Iris and our family is heartbroken.

We spent one last day with her last Friday and a few days later I had to tell Phi that her great-grandmother had passed away. I hesitated for a second about telling her, but I knew that, unlike Louie, there would be no hiding it from her. She cried.

I had to have one of those parenting moments where I had to put on a brave face and figure out the best way to talk to my daughter. I reminded her that Grandma lived a good and long life. She got to be a kids, a teenager, fall in love, marry the love of her life, raise kids, love her grandbabies and even watch her great grandchildren grow up. For a second I saw panic in her eyes. She was thinking about the possibility of losing other grandparents. Joey reminded her that to live in constant fear of losing the people you love, you will never enjoy life. We reminded her to enjoy life and tell the people you love how much you love them. My Phi wholeheartedly believes in God and heaven and the idea of Grandma being in heaven with God was a big comfort.

These conversations are hard. Phi is has always been our quiet and sensitive child. She has a big heart. This was one of those instances where I hope we said the right things. I hope that she understands that her feelings are important and it is okay to be sad and cry, but to smile and remember the happy times.