Grieving...

As I shared with you last time, our family is grieving. My ex-husband, father of my grown daughters, died in an accident at the age of 61. It is hard to tell the difference between depression and grief isn't it?

Somehow with depression it seems like we are all grieving in some way or another. Maybe we are just plain sad. Maybe we are grieving over the life we wish we could live.

But with death there is concrete reason for grieving. And with this kind of sudden unexpected loss, there is the challenge of our emotions. We are doing fine and holding each other up in love. It is good to be a close family at a time like this.

But what about depression during these times? Who can tell the difference? Many are asking me how I am doing, knowing that I can be in pretty bad shape when nothing terrible has even happened. It is only natural for people to think that when tragedy comes along the depression sufferer suffers more than the rest of us. But that is not true and I don't know why.

It is all a mystery to me, but I feel no worse and no better than my normally challenged self. However, I do feel encouraged and surrounded by old friends and good memories. And I have had a chance to watch my own daughters, who I am already so proud of, give their dad a send-off that honoured him in every possible way.

It has been a bittersweet time. I want to share with you the name of a book that was given to me by a dear friend this week. It is called "Letter to a Grieving Heart" by Billy Sprague. It is a wonderful book and I would recommend it to anyone who is grieving and I plan to buy a few copies to give to friends.

And you know what? I am recommending it to you! Any of us who live with depression, lives with constant grief and this book may be a great comfort to you!

Don't forget to laugh today.

May Dipsy Doodling Around Depression be better than a therapy session!

Don't give up, I'm praying for you!

Wendy Love