I lost my 31 year-old son, Aaron, on August 9, 2007. He drowned while spear-fishing in Mexico. It has been almost 6 weeks. I miss him unbearably but mostly, right now, I feel numb. I think it is the only way I am able to survive right now.

Cynthia

Dear Cynthia,

We are so very sorry for your loss. There are few words that can truly comfort us when we lose a child and your loss is still very fresh and your wounds still raw. We each grieve in our own way and your feeling numb right now is a way to get through the initial shock of your loss.. We encourage you to be very gentle with yourself and give yourself the time you need to grieve and adjust. Know there is no time limit on grief and there is no right way or wrong way to go about it.

We encourage you to see if there is a group of Compassionate Friends in your area. You can find their website at http://www.compassionatefriends.org/?? Each member has experienced the death of a child and each has survived and grieved in his or her own way. If there is no chapter of Compassionate Friends in? area you may want to contact your local Hospice for a recommendation on a grief group.? However, we understand that groups are not for everyone.? If groups are not for you we recommend that you reach out to your family, church, and friends for support.? We have found that the load of grief is lighter when it is not carried alone.

We invite you to listen on Thursday mornings to the radio show Healing the Grieving Heart? You can find information about it and a link to it on the first page of http://www.thegriefblog.com? You might also find a number of past shows that can give you help and comfort at http://thegriefblog.com/grief-grieving-death-of-a-child/

We are posting your note to us on http://www.thegriefblog.com because we know it will be of help to others who also are experiencing such loss.

Blessings,

Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley