The Healing Journey

July 31, 2023

“Sadly enough, the most painful goodbyes are the ones that are left unsaid and never explained.”
― Jonathan Harnisch

Charlie was at the coffee shop, kibitzing with the guys about the usual topics — inflation, the presidential race, gas prices, the Yankees, and the Red Sox — when somehow the discussion turned to a tragic story about a young athlete who died on the playing field. Charlie got uncharacteristically quiet, and when the others stopped talking, he told them his own story, a 20-year-old story about his son, who died in college.

The boy, who was a great ball player, had a full sports scholarship to a good university. In the spring, Charlie went down south to watch him play, and his heart swelled with pride. It was going to be a good season.

He no sooner returned home when he got an urgent call. His son had died while playing ball. Devastated and in denial, he flew back. How could it have happened to a 19-year-old kid? How could it have happened to his son?

This sudden, monumental grief destroyed his world. He went to see counselors, support groups, and priests, but nothing could lessen the pain. His descent continued. He got divorced and turned to drugs. In the process, he ended up in prison, still struggling to find his way home. Years later, he is still struggling to find his way home. And years later, his eyes still tear up when he tells the story about the son he lost. Not a day passes when he doesn’t think about him.

For some, the experience of grief is so intense and so devastating, the wound never heals. Many go on with their lives, but their lives are never the same. However, it’s never too late to start the healing journey by seeking help in a bereavement group.

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It may be hard to believe, but healing is possible for everyone, regardless of the intensity of their pain or how long they’ve carried it.