Friday, November 14, 2008

20 Things

The following is a list of things that Parents of and Angel would like you to remember, I borrowed this from someone elses site; although not all of them fit me to a "T", many do fit for me.
1. I wish you would not be afraid to mention Will. The truth is just because you never saw him doesn't mean he doesn't deserve your recognition.
2. I wish that if we did talk about Will and I cried you didn't think it was because you have hurt me by mentioning him. The truth is I need to (and often want to) cry and talk about Will with you. Crying and emotional outbursts help me heal.
3. I wish that you could talk about Will more than once. The truth is if you do, it reassures me that you haven't forgotten him and that you do care and understand.
4. I wish you wouldn't think that I don't want to talk about Will. The truth is I love him and need to talk about him.
5. I wish you could tell me you are sorry Will has died and that you are thinking of me. The truth is that it tells me you care.
6. I wish you wouldn't think what has happened is one big bad memory for me. The truth is the memory of Will, the love I feel for him, the dreams I had and the memories I have created for him are all loving memories. Yes there are bad memories too but please understand that it's not all like that.
7. I wish you wouldn't pretend that Will never existed. The truth is we both know I had him growing inside me for 5 months.
8. I wish you wouldn't judge me because I am not acting the way you think I should be. The truth is grief is a very personal thing and we are all different people who deal with things differently.
9. I wish you wouldn't think if I have a good day I'm "over it" or if I have a bad day that I am being unreasonable because you think I should be over it. The truth is there is no "normal" way for me to act and I will never be "over it". As for me, most days I put on the happiest face I can, I smile and pretend nothing is wrong, but I am really dying inside.
10. I wish you wouldn't stay away from me. The truth is losing Will doesn't mean I'm contagious. By staying away you make me feel isolated, confused and at fault for something I had no control over.
11. I wish you wouldn't expect my grief to be "over and done with" in a few weeks, months, years or ever for that matter. The truth is it may get easier with time but I will never be "over" this.
12. I wish you would think of Will as a baby and and not just a miscarriage. The truth is he was a human life. He had a soul, heart, body, legs, arms, a face and a unique personality. I have seen my baby's body and face. My baby was a real person.
13. Will's due date, his birthdate, the day he was deliveredand Mothers Day, are all important and sad days for me. The truth is I wish you could tell me by words or by letter that you are thinking of me (andWill) on these days.
14. I wish you understood that losing Will has changed me. The truth is I am not the same person I was before nor will I ever be that person again. If you keep waiting for me to get back to ""normal" you will stay frustrated and continue waiting. I am a new person with new thoughts, dreams, beliefs, and values. Please try to get to know the new "me"-maybe you'll still like me.
15. I wish you wouldn't tell me that I can have other babies. The truth is I want the baby I lost and no other baby can replace Will. Babies aren't interchangeable.
16. I wish you wouldn't feel awkward or uncomfortable talking about Will or being near me. When you do, I can see it. The truth is it's not fair to make me feel uncomfortable just because you are, I'm dealing with enough as it is.
17. I wish you wouldn't think that you should keep away because all my friends and family will be there for me. The truth is, everyone thinks the same thing and I am often left with no one.
18. I wish you would understand that being around pregnant women is uncomfortable for me. The truth is I feel jealous, angry and sad. I am happy for people, but it is hard to see pregnant bellies and newborns.
19. I wish you wouldn't say that everything happens for a reason. The truth is as far as I'm concerned no explanation would or could ever be good enough to justify that fact that Will is gone.
20. I wish you would understand what you are really saying when you say "the next baby will be fine". The truth is how do you know? Can you gaurantee that my next baby will be healthy? What will you say if it happens to me again?

2 comments:

unleashcreative said...

I am crying as I read this. I was trying to express these very same reasons why I'm hurting last night and started to feel crazy. Thank you for posting these. I feel it in my core. I lost my daughter, Audrey, at almost 19 weeks and am also now, grieving the changing dynamic of my friendships.

Erica said...

Thanks for sharing this... it really touched me. I understand where you are coming from. I wish more people would understand, but I guess you can never undersatnd unless you go through it yourself.