Guilt is a normal component of grief and can really tied to unresolved shame from a different part of our lives. (Another subject matter to explore at another time.) Guilt can make living life without your person can feel like a betrayal. But the truth is this: your capacity for joy does not diminish your love.
For many, the idea of experiencing joy while grieving can feel foreign, even disloyal. How can laughter coexist with loss? How can light exist alongside something that feels so heavy? In the 6 years that I’ve been doing this work, I’ve heard this over and over. It just feels strange to be happy when you feel like you should be sad for the rest of your life.
The truth is: joy and pain can and do coexist.
