Loss is different for everyone.

I recently passed the anniversary of a loss, the death of someone important to me. And one of the things I noticed over the last twelve months is how differently everyone expresses grief. Some quietly criticized those who didn’t grieve the same as they did.

This surprised me, because there is no guidebook for grief.

I’ve had a lot of loss in my life. It started early, my grandmother when I was six and my dad at ten. I learned from an early age that death is part of life. In this regard, I suppose I was a stoic long before hearing the word.

For others, this was the first significant loss they’ve experienced.

Each of us is different in our dealing with loss. Some accept it quickly and focus on celebrating the life lost rather than the loss itself. Others dwell on the negative, focusing their energy on moments that will never be.

There is no right or wrong way to deal with loss. Grief happens as it happens.

Our feelings and reactions develop from our lived experiences. And every life is lived differently.