Blogging Therapy

Hubby and I have had the unfortunate need to discuss grief recently.

I believe when people die, we grieve not necessarily for them, but for the sadness inside the hearts of everyone they left behind who loved them and miss them like crazy - for their loss. For those people who knew them best and have to go on without them.

Can you grieve for the loss of someone you didn’t know at all?

I’ve been reminded of this strange phenomenon of our digital society recently having stumbled upon a number of parent bloggers – both moms and dads – who digitally document the painful necessity to go on with life after death. I find myself fascinated with this blog genre. It’s not about product reviews or money-saving tips. To them, this is about putting one foot in front of the other each day, desperately hoping that with each step they are not moving further away from precious memories.

When parents have to go on without a child, or the other parent, their unique grief is so moving, so heart-wrenching to the naive rest of us. I find myself enthralled with their writing and shedding tears for these virtual strangers who have decided to share their intimate lives with the blogosphere. I grieve for their sadness. I don’t even know them.

The idea of ever losing one of my children or my spouse is so incredibly painful I cannot bear to think about it for fear my heart may stop beating.

And yet, these blogging parents - like this mother, this father, this mother and this wife - have decided to share their journeys with anyone who cares to follow them.

Perhaps it is therapy for them. And us.