The death of a loved one, whether human or pet, is never an easy thing to overcome. Whether it was an unexpected loss or one that had been anticipated due to illness or age, it is still a very challenging issue. It becomes even more difficult when it occurs during a difficult or trying time. For example, women who are pregnant and lose a loved one or seniors who lose their partners while they, themselves, are struggling with failing health may find it especially difficult to work past the loss of a loved one. However, even difficult financial times, trying political periods or something as simple as the middle of winter can also be a "hard time" to find yourself struggling with loss.
Self-Care Is Essential
It is at such times that experts advocate really listening to your body. If you feel tired, it is fine to rest. If you feel overwhelmed, it is time to say so. The one thing that you cannot do is ignore those signs or tell yourself you cannot give into grief. It is only by accepting grief that we begin to get past grief. This is particularly true in hard or trying times when we may feel the pressures of staying on our work schedule or keeping up with routines.
Making Choices
One thing that many who grieve find comfort and relief in doing is making formal plans or actionable steps and then implementing them. For example, if a loved one dies and you plan their funeral and see it all through to the end, you may feel winded and you see that you didn't have a chance to say goodbye or grieve fully. When that loved one is buried, you can go to their grave and take care of that missed step. You can do that as often as you need to feel comfort and take control of grief.
When someone is cremated, though, you have to make plans for handling their remains. A keepsake urn is often one of the wisest options as it is far more appealing than the containers that cremated remains must be shipped or delivered in. However, you might also be planning on scattering ashes in an appropriate place, and this too can help with grief. Yet, take the time to ask yourself if you are prepared to have nowhere to go and fully process the grief.
If so, it is a good idea to consider cremation jewelry that allows you to retain some of the ashes and, in essence, always have your loved one close. The use of an urn necklace, such as those available from Johnston's Cremation Jewelry, can allow you the same sense of sitting by a traditional grave provides. You can speak to the loved one, express your feelings of loss and process your grief. You can take comfort from memorial jewelry of this kind, too.
When loss strikes at a very hard time, whether it is during pregnancy, when you yourself are infirm or during periods of great financial or life stress, it can be easy to forget to take care of yourself and your grief. This is why you may want to invest in a necklace for ashes. It allows you to meet your loved one's wishes for cremation and even ash scattering, but also lets you process grief fully and at a time that works better for you.