A Nation in Grief

In these uncertain times, loss and anger have taken center stage. When might we move from anger to acceptance?

We are grieving our loss of loved ones. We are grieving our loss of our usual social interactions and financial security. As the late Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross wrote in On Death and Dying, we turn to five primary “coping mechanisms” or tools to identify our feelings and come to terms with loss. We often begin with denial and anger and after a time, which is different for each of us, arrive at acceptance.

We have seen denial. Denial of the truth of the health crisis. Denial of the extent of the health crisis. Denial of the ‘cure’ for the health crisis. Denial of the responsibility for the health crisis.

Anger often follows denial. Today across our nation we see public demonstrations of anger. These are variations of ‘Why me?’ ‘Why should I suffer these losses?’ ‘I don’t deserve this.’

While some angrily scream at social limitations, others sorrowfully scream over their mother/father/brother/aunt/grandparent dying, alone, without family at their side and without the mourning rituals of a funeral and burial to mitigate their grief complicated by these tragic circumstances.

When might we move from anger to acceptance? Most of us will survive these temporary quarantine measures and return to the activities of our lives. Too many others have not and will not survive; there is no life to return to.

Do you have the courage to care?

Follow Rev. Linda Bryce at www.thecouragetocare.com and her upcoming book The Courage to Care: being fully present with the dying. She is an author, end-of-life coach/guide and bedside singer to the dying.