Photo by Axel Houmadi on Unsplash
Do you know someone who hasn’t healed from a loss due to a lack of closure?  I’m sure many of the survivors from September 11th have been unable to heal and let go of their pain.  The death of Osama bin Laden may help many to progress with their healing and work through their grief.  We are approaching the 1o year anniversary of September 11th, but the pain, anguish, and sadness still resonates in the hearts of many affected by this horrific attack on innocent people.  There is comfort knowing that justice prevailed and we have one less evil doer on this earth.  Is it easier to let go of our pain when the person that caused it is gone?  Is it harder to let go when the person who caused the pain is close to us? What if  the person who caused it is the parent to our children?  Many would say that it is more difficult to heal from divorce than it is from death.  Closure may be achieved through different mechanisms.  For example, forgiveness can enable us to let go of our pain or justice may allow us to achieve resolution.  When we lose loved ones, lose our marriage, or lose our freedom it’s difficult to release the pain.  In order to get through pain, we have to go through it.  This requires us to acknowledge every feeling we have that’s related to the loss, share it openly with others, choose to let it go, and move forward with life.  It sounds easy, but it’s not.  There is tremendous power in letting go of pain and releasing the person that caused it.  We give away power when we allow others to keep us stuck in our anger, sadness, resentment or hurt.  Decide today to heal by releasing the pain that others have caused and experience the freedom of internal peace.