February 19, 2013
Dear Brian,
I'm feeling extra lonely and your absence is hurting far more than usual these days. I have attempted to be out in the "dating world" again for a brief period here recently and quickly determined that it is not the easiest place for me to be right now.
While your death was not the reason for my divorce, it was definitely a contributing factor. We'd been having trouble for several years which was why I had such a difficult time with our plan to move from Minnesota to Texas-- I was feeling as though we had been on such shaky ground for a long time. My fear was if we didn't work out, I'd be in a place 22 hours away from all of my family and friends and all I'd ever known yet he'd be in a place where he already had a support system of friends and family in place. But after you died I just was in such a bad place and was virtually inconsolable. While I had no feelings of anger towards you whatsoever, he was quite angry at you. And I don't blame him for that-- it's quite a natural emotion given the circumstances and everyone is entitled to their own emotions. But it did create another wedge between us to some degree-- if I expressed my grief it only heightened his anger towards you and your final act and I didn't want him to be angry with you. So I retreated within myself to protect you from his anger and to protect him from his feelings of helplessness when I could not be comforted. The more I retreated the further apart we grew and it couldn't be ignored. And I honestly think I became a different person altogether. Really what your death did for our marriage was to bring all the issues to the forefront where they could no longer be brushed over-- they had to be dealt with at last. And quite honestly I was quickly learning that life was too short to spend it where neither of us was feeling happy nor the slightest bit fulfilled. We owed it to each other to part ways and let each other find the happiness we both deserve.
After my divorce I was in one relationship for a year and it started out beautifully. He was aware of what happened to you right from the start-- in fact, we began dating very close to the one year anniversary of your death. He was so supportive and caring and wanted to know all he could about you and encouraged me to work through my grief through the support group meetings, my writing and my art. I was so grateful for that because I was so extremely fragile and it would take a very special person to open their heart to not just me, but to you as well.
But what began to happen is what has happened in many of my other relationships whether it be with friends, family or close acquaintances with whom I have daily contact. There comes a point when the support seems to wear off and the caring seems to turn to more of a "discomfort" at the sound of your name. What started out as encouragement turned to frustration that I was still "hung up" on my grief and you were too much of a part of my life yet. That was so unbelievably painful to hear-- I'd only lost you a year and a half ago. Of course you are a big part of my life! You always will be. The person with whom I eventually spend my life will need to make room in their heart for you too.
It is hard to know whom to trust-- there are people who once were very close friends (or even family members) who seem to now pretend as though we don't exist. Emails, calls and letters go unanswered. While I do understand that people are uncomfortable with our grief, or possibly their own, but losing people very close to us simply because we lost you is an additional pain that is so hard to accept at times. So how do I find the strength to reach out and try to begin new relationships? It's always been hard enough for me to truly open up to someone new but the added pressure of being rejected for where I am at in my grief journey makes it so frightening to try.
I'm hopeful that there is someone, somewhere who will accept me with all my quirks and faults and will realize that while you are no longer part of the physical world, you are a massive part of my spiritual world and are still my brother. The question I'll ultimately need to ask them is, "Do you have room in your heart for both of us?"
Please continue to watch over me-- I need it.
Love Always,
Laura