Eternity Funeral Home Inc

03/25/2022

"Grief ... gives life a permanently provisional feeling. It doesn't seem worth starting anything. I can't settle down. I yawn, I fidget, I smoke too much. Up till this I always had too little time. Now there is nothing but time. Almost pure time, empty successiveness."

- C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Begin a project that is meaningful to you. You may want to label old photos or videos, donate clothing to a charity, or reorganize your bedroom. Take on a task that generates a tangible result, so that, upon its completion, you can look at it and see what you have achieved

03/24/2022

"You cannot die of grief, though it feels as if you can. A heart does not actually break, though sometimes your chest aches as if it is breaking. Grief dims with time. It is the way of things. There comes a day when you smile again, and you feel like a traitor. How dare I feel happy. How dare I be glad in a world where my father is no more. And then you cry fresh tears, because you do not miss him as much as you once did, and giving up your grief is another kind of death."

- Laurell K. Hamilton

Guilt is grief's unfortunate partner. We feel guilty because our grief is keeping us from connecting to the living. We feel guilty because we are not grieving as much as we once did. Let go of the guilt. The grief process is a natural part of losing someone we care about. As you come out of the grieving period, be happy, not guilty, that you can return to being the person your loved one knew.

03/21/2022

Friendship doubles our joy and divides our grief.

- Swedish Proverb

Many times when people grieve, their first instinct is to isolate themselves from others. You may need to cry, or to just sit in silent reflection as you continue to try to process what has happened. However, in conjunction with your personal grieving, it is often beneficial to take the time to talk about your sadness with people you trust. Having a friend, support group, or counselor can make a tremendous difference as you try to re-assimilate to the life you led before this tragedy. Being able to talk and to listen to the advice and stories of others helps you to reconnect. Isolating yourself is easy, but it shows great courage and fortitude to share these vulnerabilities with others. Take a chance and talk about what you are going through...you'll be glad you did

03/20/2022

Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.

~ Anonymous

People talk about the importance of memories when you have had a loss. It is true that they are often referred to as treasured, and that is an accurate description. Yet, our memories can also evoke the most pain when the loss is still fresh in our minds. Trying to find the balance between the happiness and sadness of our memories is one of the hardest parts of grieving as time passes. You want to look at photographs, watch home videos, or read letters to keep your connection to your loved one fresh. At the same time, these items can also be difficult reminders of the acute pain you are feeling as you adjust to the loss.

The key is to find the balance that is best for you. The answer for each person is different. For some, looking at such images, crying for a few minutes, and then moving on is cathartic. For others, it is too hard to see them at this point. Follow your gut instinct when deciding whether you are ready to look at concrete images of your loved one. If you have to turn over a photograph to help heal, then that is what you should do. Continue to be patient with yourself, and do what feels right. Most importantly, know that the way you grieve should be personal, and that there is no "best" way to work through the process.

03/19/2022

"Everyone grieves in different ways. For some, it could take longer or shorter. I do know it never disappears. An ember still smolders inside me. Most days, I don't notice it, but, out of the blue, it'll flare to life."

- Maria V. Snyder, Storm Glass

When grief is your every day, it's hard to imagine not having that weight on your shoulders. It's hard to fathom that there is even the possibility of a life without it. However, as it fades and your hope builds of a life free of that constant sorrow, know that there will be flare-ups. There will be a little reminder that brings it all flooding back.

The good news is that the reminders are not permanent. They will startle you, but then fade away. These bonds do not break, but the level of intensity softens over time, allowing you to slowly move forward

03/18/2022

Suzanne Guice, 61, passed away March 12, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois....

Share Memories & Support the Family.

03/18/2022

"Youth offers the promise of happiness, but life offers the realities of grief."

- Nicholas Sparks, The Rescue

No matter your age or your background, the process of grief is the last step in truly growing up. Your life before loss was one of a kind of childlike innocence compared to the life you have now.

However, it is not without hope or value. The love and understanding you can bring to others has a depth and intensity unlike any other. Your appreciation for life and its joys makes you a richer, stronger person.

This does not happen overnight. This depth of character builds in conjunction with your grief process. It is the phoenix rising from the pain of loss. Use this gift to enhance the lives of those around you.

03/17/2022

"Grief is a most peculiar thing; we're so helpless in the face of it. It's like a window that will simply open of its own accord. The room grows cold, and we can do nothing but shiver. But it opens a little less each time, and a little less; and one day we wonder what has become of it."

- Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha

Your grief may fade away completely one day, or it may always play a role in your consciousness. No matter its intensity, it will evolve into something you can become accustomed to over time.

03/16/2022

"So it's true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love."

- E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

Take a minute today to remember three times when your loved one made you laugh and smile. Relive those beautiful memories in your head. Those sweet moments are why you feel such sadness. Know that they were worth it.

03/16/2022

"There should be a statute of limitation on grief. A rulebook that says it is all right to wake up crying, but only for a month. That after 42 days you will no longer turn with your heart racing, certain you have heard her call out your name. That there will be no fine imposed if you feel the need to clean out her desk; take down her artwork from the refrigerator; turn over a school portrait as you pass - if only because it cuts you fresh again to see it. That it's okay to measure the time she has been gone, the way we once measured her birthdays."

- Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper

Your process of grief is not following anyone else's timetable. It may take you two years to feel like someone else does in two months. Think of when you learned to walk or learned to read or learned to drive. Everyone's timetable is different for every part of life. Grieving is no different. Be patient with your heart. You will grieve as you need to for as long as you need to do so.

02/27/2022

"What I have learned lately is that people deal with death in all sorts of ways. Some of us fight against it, doing everything we can to make it not true. Some of us lose our selves to grief. Some of us lose ourselves to anger."

- Carrie Jones, Entice

How are you coping? What does your grief look like? There is not "right" grief and "wrong" grief. There is only your grief.

02/13/2022

A letter to anyone grieving!