This is a bereaved parent’s battle cry.
I’m tired… tired of having to hide how I am truly feeling from the rest of the world.
Tired of having to put on a fake smile every time I go to work or a social event, so people around me will think I’m doing better.
Tired of wanting to post something about MY CHILD – yet I don’t because people are “tired of seeing that.”
So I hide.
I hide and post in one of my bereaved parent groups because that is the only place “I feel safe enough to show my real feelings and won’t be judged.”
Why the hell should I have to hide my feelings about my child?!
Do others have to hide their feelings about their children?
Do other parents have to watch “how many times” they post about their son or their daughter’s soccer games or recitals or first steps or proms or births –
or anything that they rejoice in?
Please Know: I Love Talking About My Child Who Died
No – you know why?
Because other people will rejoice with them!
They are not looking for pats on the back because they are that child’s parent.
They are proud of their children.
PERIOD!
So why…
WHY IS IT DIFFERENT FOR BEREAVED PARENTS?
We don’t have future proms…
or recitals…
or births…
or first steps.
We have memories.
That.is.it!
We post about our children because… we are proud of them just like any other parent.
We want people to support our memories with the same encouragement with which they used to support our accomplishments and milestones when our children still lived!
Say our child’s name!
Share a memory to our page of that child!
Rejoice with us!
Please Don’t Forget About My Child
And on those hard days when we post that we miss our child, and we say we can’t go on, whether it is two months or 10 years later –
please understand, we are not looking for a pat on the back or sympathy.
We want you to remember that child with us!
Please…
Memories are all we have left…
——-
My sentiment exactly, Pray that no parents ever have to live”our new normal”
Thank you for sharing
This could have been written by me! My feelings exactly, I remember my aunty losing her youngest daughter, she seemed to lose her zest for life, a light went out along the way, she was never the same, I used to try put some happiness back even for a short while, make her smile/ laugh like she used to, but it was always an effort on her part, Now Im walking that path, my dear son, Ryan, Afghanistan 2012, and what a journey, changes every aspect of your life, with family, friends, and the way we live ourselves, 7 years in, very weary and tired
I totally understand. It lost my precious son 15 months ago. I’m having a hard time Just getting out of bed every day and trying to find a reason to go on is difficult these days.
I’m tired. That says it all. I lost my son Steve to depression almost 29 months ago. Miss him more every day. I am careful what I post because of my 2 daughters. I know they miss their brother also but I can’t make my life now just about his loss. He wasn’t perfect but he was my only son. Family and friends….his friends…have moved on. No one mentions him much and it breaks my heart. Guess it’s a Mom thing……….