I am re-issuing this, last year’s blog,
in honor of my mother’s 3rd yahrzeit on Saturday
and in remembrance of Ukraine’s victims.
March 12, 2021, Surviving Loss:
Today, is the 2nd anniversary of my mother’s death. It is also the one-year anniversary of the day that Covid closed my beloved school. In a panic, students and faculty collected textbooks and supplies for what we thought, naively, might be a few weeks.
I mourn both annniversaries, but today is my mother’s day.
I lit the yahrzeit candle this morning, a Jewish tradition, yahrzeit (pronounced ‘yart zite’) meaning “soul candle.” It is a widely spread custom, lit in memory of the dead. Even people who are otherwise unobservant follow this custom.
You will meet my mother, Jacqueline Cavitch, in Rain Dodging, but here are a few photos:
Tips for getting through an anniversary of loss:
- Follow your gut: Do you need to keep busy or would you benefit from private time?
- Establish a tradition, for instance, a prayer service or a long walk.
- Establish an ‘anniversary journal,’ where you can write your thoughts, reflect on past years, and chart your healing.
- Let a close family member, friend, or therapist know ahead of time, to guide you through the day, or at the least check up on you.
Indulge on something(s)!
How do you survive the anniversary of a loved one?
I would love to hear.
