How often do you behave towards others in the way that you clearly know isn't your best way? And how often do you find yourself thinking of others or taking your closest ones for granted, as if they were here forever and immortal? We are the only species aware of our own ‘expiry’, yet not many live with this knowledge in the same way. Knowing that we will die some day may create anxiety already as early as in childhood. A child experiencing death of a loved person, |
or being exposed to information or images of other people’s death, becomes aware of his limited life, and the one of his close ones. That moment is the beginning of his anticipatory grief. Yes, that exists. Think about the children’s stories such as Bambi whose mother is shot, or Simba’s father, Snowhite or Cendrillon…just to mention a few. Many of these stories have been turned into movies. Can you recall any of your own reactions to these stories?
This anticipatory grief is somehow representing the beginning of the end in our minds. It is silent, we normally keep it to ourselves, as it is somehow a preparation to our loss ahead.
The stages of loss; denial, anger, bargaining, depressive mood, acceptance can be experienced (either all or just a few) prior to occurrence of the actual loss. They can be triggered by watching a movie with content that awakes our awareness and feelings about it.
This anticipatory grief is somehow representing the beginning of the end in our minds. It is silent, we normally keep it to ourselves, as it is somehow a preparation to our loss ahead.
The stages of loss; denial, anger, bargaining, depressive mood, acceptance can be experienced (either all or just a few) prior to occurrence of the actual loss. They can be triggered by watching a movie with content that awakes our awareness and feelings about it.