Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Inconstant

Grief is not a constant feeling.  I wish that it was. Instead, in an instant I can switch from this:

P1180710

. . . to this:

P1180715

It scares me.  The wild swings are disconcerting, but what truly terrifies me are the feelings of normalcy when I know that "normal" is a lie.  I just want to feel sad, and stay sad until healing moves in.  But it's not like that.  Instead, I can live as if I am okay until any one of a thousand daily reminders crashes in upon my amputated heart --

A baby crying at Wal-Mart, making me think that perhaps Eve was crying before she died, screaming in pain, and I didn't hear her.

Driving home at night, reminding me of that drive home from the hospital after being told that Eve was gone, reminding me of those first horrible moments in this new life where babies die. 

Working out, hard, my body feeling too light, and devastatingly empty.

A tiny shred of memory that suddenly blossoms into a near-reliving of the moment the doctor murmured, "I'm so sorry, your baby has died."  A near-reliving of the feeling of  my daughter pushing her way out of me, it seemed, because how could a dead body be moving within mine?  A near-rehearing the clutching silence at the moment of her birth. 

Pregnant women in stores, on the street, everywhere I go. 

A child cradling her dark-skinned baby doll that looks too much like my baby, dark-skinned because she was born too early, born dead.

Dreams in which Eve is alive and not alive in the same moment.  Dreams that she had blue eyes, that she lived outside of me before she died.  Dreams of lies.

The knowledge that this loss will never get better, never be fixed, but that I will only get used to living with a limping heart.

Meeting more and more women who have lost babies, who are losing babies.  Knowing that women are losing their babies right now. 

The knowledge that I am not who I was, and never will be again. 

Grief is not constant.  But loss is everywhere.

Why can't I just live in the loss?  Perhaps then it wouldn't be so painful.  Because I think the most pain is the result of this inconstancy, of coming in and out of the awareness that yes, yes, this impossible thing happened -- my baby, she died within me.

I dwell in two realities which cannot be reconciled, and it hurts.  Why can't I just live in one, the reality where my baby died before she was born?  The other reality, where life goes on and the seasons turn and the earth breathes -- that other place seems too cruel.

6 comments:

  1. devastatingly empty
    it's not fair, Beth!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I went out to dinner the other night with some friends. All was going well. Then a couple with their 1y/o son walked in. Minutes later he started crying. I was on the verge of a panic attack. When I hear little ones cry, it makes me want to hear Harrison cry. Not because I wanted him in any sort of pain, I just want him to be around. I want to be able to kiss him and hug him while he cries. I'll never be able to do that and it breaks my heart. After the couple left I was laughing at something a friend said. It seemed wrong. I was upset at myself for laughing. But then I realized that Harrison would want me to be laughing. He would love to see a smile on my face. So I laughed. And it felt good. Minutes later I was sad again.

    This is a horrific journey we are on. I wouldn't wish this pain and grief on my worst enemy. I'll be lighting a candle for you at church today. Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  3. In a VERY different and not comparable situation, I feel/understand this concept in a way. Sometimes I look at where I am, how I am feeling so bad...where I was, how I was feeling death...and where I still have to go, "feeling" that I will NEVER be or feel what I want, what doesn't hurt. Some days, I look at where I am, feel OK....where I have to go, and feel OK, even excited. Why can't I just make up mind? Maybe it isn't mind. I guess life/feelings/mind/everything comes and goes in waves. And we ride on.

    I love you and I'm so sorry. Your writing is beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you, Amanda. *hugs*

    ReplyDelete
  5. so amazing how you verbalize what so many of us just think!

    ReplyDelete
  6. thanks, Penny. <3

    ReplyDelete

"I am glad you are here with me."
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King