When we experience an injury that potentially limits or ends our ability to perform physical activities, there is a loss of something important that is created. Whether athlete, weekend warrior, or parent chasing after little ones, there is often a sense of longing for what was once but will no longer be. Well-meaning friends and family may say that we need to just get over it or find something else to take its place, but that beloved activity was more than just a past-time; it represented, in some ways, the personal power and control over our own bodies that has been taken away.
Loss tends to accumulate when it has not been properly grieved. Have you ever felt overwhelmed by some type of loss in a way that seemed disproportionate to the event? It may be a sign that emotions from previous losses are still lurking in the background. The following is the perfect illustration of what happens when we avoid or ignore the emotions from loss, and why we must deal with them:
I must Grieve.
I must forgive myself and the person or event about which I have experienced a loss.
I must take the time to deal daily with the feelings that arise as a result of the loss.
I must do this until I am completely clear of the archaic feelings and unfinished business I have with the person or the event that troubles me.
If I do not do my grieving about the old hurts and insults, then, when I am faced with a here and now grief experience, I will end up having to dredge up all that old energy along with the current experience.Elaine Childs-Gowell
When you feel overwhelmed, pay attention to those emotions to figure out where they come from. During some quiet time, think back over your life and make a list of all the losses you can remember. This exercise might provide insight into the accumulation of emotion from losses that may still need to be grieved. Take your time, this isn’t an easy task.
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