"All that lovely free time and space I thought I’d have to make a promotion plan for my podcast, write my essays, read loads of books etc. was gone. It had been sucked up into an emotional mess in my brain. My energy levels were low. Sometimes I could manage the washing up or a short walk, read a little bit of a book, but it was punctuated by zero motivation about the things I care most about, plus numbness and sadness. For some furlough is a gift; a break from a job they may not love. But for many of us in ministry and other vocational lines of work, furlough can feel like taking away of purpose and a living out of God’s calling." Lizzie explores the grief of losing purpose and direction.
The current pandemic compounds the natural grief that comes with the end of one’s degree. Students are not sitting exams in the way envisioned, and post-exam celebrations with friends (alongside summer balls) are a very distant dream. Various summer graduation ceremonies have been cancelled. How might our faith help us to deal with the lack of closure that comes from not knowing if or when you might see your friends again, and the ensuing grief?
Grief is hard, and tricky. Trying to rank our personal losses against those of others can make us feel like we don't have anything to be sad about. But loss effects us all differently, and it's okay to recognise that and grieve appropriately.
