Saturday, September 27, 2008

You Learn To Live With It

A mother who lost her baby years ago recently commented that the pain is always there, you just learn to live with it. As the days and months go by, I'm starting to realize that is so true. On the outside I am pretty much my former self. I laugh, and go out with friends, and I actually enjoy life. But on the inside, many changes have taken place. I think about Brenna everyday. I think about her many times everyday. For the most part I think of her in a longing way, not in a way that makes my heart break. But if I allow myself to go back to that place, back to 6 months 3 weeks and 1 day ago, I will fall apart. The grief and agony will come rushing back to me. I will cry and wail, and wonder why. So, I don't let myself go to that place. It does not seem healthy to me to keep on dwelling on that day. I have daily reminders. My scar still hurts. The other day I had indigestion, and it reminded me of her kicks, and at that moment I really, really missed her. I ached for her.

It still seems unreal to me how much I miss her. This little person that I wanted for so long. That was with me for such a short time. That I hardly knew. But I really do miss her. I miss her so much at times it hurts.

But for the most part, the thoughts of her are not painful. They are more longing than anything. Thinking about what would have been- what should be. Today I had to go to my sons school to meet with the librarian. She was going to show me how the computer program worked. The last thing I expected to see was a brand new baby in his car seat. I immediately stopped in my tracks and thought, "Oh great". It took me a moment to open that door. That hasn't happened to me in awhile, and it kind of surprised me. Luckily it was a boy. She told me he was born in July and was going on 3 months old. I had to stop myself from calculating how old Brenna should have been. I had to stop myself from thinking how they would have been in the same preschool. Gone to school together...

I can't let myself go there. That is how I drown in my grief. That is how I get dragged down. Thinking what if, and letting myself think those thoughts. I can't go there.

Grief seriously sucks. That is all I can say about it. It sucks. I don't like it, but I am learning to live with it.

4 comments:

CLC said...

I feel the same way.

Mrs. Mother said...

I know the feeling. I think what I miss the most is what might of been.

Hollie said...

I have said that since day one. People are always so quick to tell me, "Oh you'll move on...life goes one" and it bothers me. I look at them and say, "I'll never move on or get over it. I'll just simply learn to live with what has happened..."

mrsmuelly said...

Yes, it sucks. I totally agree. I'm proud of you for going through the door - sometimes I still stop in my tracks when it comes to strollers and carseats. I want my own so very bad.