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How does grief evolve/change over the years?

I’ve lost a few people in recent years. I’m still pretty young, though. I sometimes wonder how my feelings will change over time. Like, my dad for example. Currently, I am someone whose dad has been around for ~basically~ all their life, except the past couple years. When I’m 60, I will have spent 50% of my life without my dad. I know I'm lucky to have gotten the time I did, but it's still a surreal thought. I don’t know if this is making sense to anyone but me haha. It just feels like such a deep change in my identity.


The other thing is I feel disbelief over how long it has been since these people have died. The first one was 5 years ago, but it feels so much more recent. My feelings about it have honestly only gotten stronger. I’m not thinking about it as frequently, but when I do I feel so much more. I dunno if that’s normal.


Anyway. I’m not looking for sympathy or anything. I’m fine- it’s just how life goes. I’m mainly curious about what other people’s experiences have been.
I lost my parents 5 & 6 years ago and I think it's different when it's your parents, especially my mom in my case. I've lost my uncle and two best friends also. It was easier to move past them than it has been with my parents. I still cry for them sometimes. I hate the holidays now. I was 35, had a little kid, I felt it really hard and it changed my life completely.

Losing crucial people when you're young changes you. I don't know if you get over it, I just try to remember they raised me to make it on my own.
Sylphrena · 31-35
@MarbleMarvel Yeah, I've definitely changed too. The holidays are super depressing now. I'm sorry for your loss(es). Thank you for your input🩷
@Sylphrena thank you. I'm sorry you know how it feels.
I think that the difference is in the length of time that you spend in grief. In the beginning it's all consuming. As time moves on it changes to being moments rather than constant. Those moments never stop, but they become infrequent enough that they don't put your life on hold. You never stop missing a loved one, you just reach a place where you don't let it stop you from living.

Of course, nothing is set in stone. It requires resolve to get past grief. You can stay in grief for a lifetime if you choose to. Healing is an organic process but you have to play your part as well.
Sylphrena · 31-35
@BadAssTunaBotHoe That's true, getting over the grief is hard for me because it feels like I'm letting them go. I don't feel ready for that, and I suspect it will be a long time before I do.
@Sylphrena You're not letting anyone go by moving on. If they loved you then it's what they would want you to do and moving on is not forgetting. You take their memories with you. You don't have to live in something every moment for it to be important and meaningful.
Sylphrena · 31-35
@BadAssTunaBotHoe oh, I'm aware it's not actually letting them go. It's just the feeling I have sometimes. Thank you though.
AngelUnforgiven · 51-55, F
Ive learned that you cannot hold onto the past. You grieve and you move on. I have been around death my entire life. As a kid i literally went to funerals like every 6 months or so. My oldest brother, several of.his friends died. He died as well. I lost my mom when i was 18 i had just left for college, she had a heart attack i was so distraught that i couldn't even concentrate on my studies. I lost my dad when i was 30. I've buried 2 kids, a son and a daughter. If i dwelled on all their deaths then i would not be able to function for my surviving 2 children. Its a part of life. My dad prepared me for his death. He would always say i might not be alive to see you grow up. He was 50 when i was born, my mom was 33.
being · 36-40, F
For me it's been the 10years milestone that's been completely liberating. Wasn't a parent though... But the only boyfriend I stayed with and lived with for about 5 years.
I haven't manage to hold any relationship other than one more, that lasted about 3 years..
The mark it's left has been tremendous. Though nowadays I define different reasons as to why I'm not making it in love, other than grief.

It can still happen that I cry about him but the frequency is really nothing noticeable. It's almost over, it never is, but the bardo, the ripples are lesser in such a degree that it's almost unnoticeable.
exchrist · 31-35
I think the pain fades we learn to cope better as we move foreward. And in general become desenatized.
My mom was in two hospitals stay and one week in local nursing home and she passed away with cancer in matter of just 14 days. She was only 58 years old and I often wonder if she was sick for a longer time than what we know it makes me wonder at times but the grief for me comes and goes but it makes me wonder about things. We have to live on for them.
wonwonwonwow · 100+, M
I’ve lost a lot of people over the years. Some I could cry for hours over others not so much. At first grief hits hard but as years go by you think about them less often but when you do it feels stronger. It’s strange how time changes everything. But yeah you learn to carry it differently
ITZXAO · 13-15, TNew
omg i feel so bad for you! you can ask be abt me im ok with telling ya!

 
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