September often feels like a month of new beginnings.
Children return to school, routines begin again and, as summer draws to a close, there can be a sense that life is getting back to normal. But grief does not follow the calendar.
For someone who has lost a loved one, the return to everyday routines can sometimes make their absence feel even more noticeable. After the activity and distractions of summer, September can bring quieter moments and familiar routines that highlight just how much has changed.
There Is No Timetable for Grief
Everyone experiences bereavement differently. There is no right amount of time to grieve and no point at which someone should be expected to have “moved on”. Birthdays, anniversaries, changing seasons and ordinary family routines can all bring memories unexpectedly to the surface.
Sometimes it is the smallest things: an empty chair, a familiar journey or simply something you would normally have shared with that person – that can be the most difficult.
If someone you know is grieving, continuing to check in can mean a great deal. Support is often plentiful immediately following a death, but bereavement continues long after the funeral has taken place. A message, a phone call or simply giving someone the opportunity to talk about the person they have lost can be enormously valuable.
Remembering Those We Love
At Harrison Funeral Home, we see every day how individual grief can be.
There is no single way to remember someone and no correct way to navigate life after a bereavement. What matters is allowing yourself, and those around you, the time and space to grieve in the way that feels right for them.