Grief & Celebration-An Oxymoron?

…Or A Mixed Bag

After eighteen months of caring for her husband through his battle with Alzheimer's, Annette found herself staring at a acceptance letter for a position she'd applied for months earlier—something she'd dreamed of doing "when things settled down." 

Now, three weeks after her husband’s peaceful passing, the opportunity felt both like a gift and a betrayal."How can I be excited about anything when he's gone?" she whispered to herself, the familiar weight of grief pressing against her chest. 

But underneath the sorrow, she felt something else—a flutter of anticipation, a whisper of her own identity returning. No shade but the guilt was immediate and crushing.

Annette’s struggle reflects the complex emotional landscape that some caregivers navigate after loss of themselves & a loved one.

As caregivers, we pour ourselves into another person's wellbeing for months or years, mostly setting aside our own dreams, health, and identity. 

When that chapter ends, we're left not only grieving our loved one, but also rediscovering who we are—and that moment of ‘free as a bird’ can feel like celebration and betrayal all at once.