Gransnet forums

Bereavement

Golden Wedding

(77 Posts)
Luckygirl Thu 13-Aug-20 15:27:25

Next Wednesday it would have been our Golden Wedding anniversary. But he died in February.

I had been doing OK, ticking along from day to day; but just thinking about this milestone next week is completely undoing me. We have always had jolly celebrations on our landmark anniversaries: a ceilidh for silver, and for the ruby a wonderful day at a local manor house, where friends and family all went for a lovely walk, then a meal in the barn with a classical guitarist entertaining while we ate. Lovely happy events to look back on.

I just have no idea what I will do with myself next Wednesday - I just feel like crawling into a hole and giving up. Just writing this has me in tears.

What did others do on these post-bereavement landmark days? Anyone got any suggestions that might help?

Luckygirl Wed 19-Aug-20 17:51:23

Thank you all.

I have received so many kindnesses today - some sweet and thoughtful cards, a bunch of flowers and my DDs have bought me a lovely cherry tree to plant in my new garden (in the fullness of time). I have just come back from putting the roses on his grave - in the wet - and am going over to one DD for socially-distanced tea. Nearly got through the day.....not long to go.

Hellogirl1 Wed 19-Aug-20 16:24:40

Thinking of you Luckygirl.

Notinthemanual Wed 19-Aug-20 13:12:42

Thinking of you Luckygirl Keep your chin up, honey.

Susan56 Wed 19-Aug-20 12:18:28

Thinking of you today Luckygirl?

Grandmafrench Wed 19-Aug-20 11:40:06

Thinking of you with your yellow roses.......and hope that this simple act will give you some comfort. Be kind to yourself and take all the time and healing that you need to feel you can carry on with a life for yourself with your family. A very good life. Hugs and flowers flowers from probably everyone on here.

annsixty Wed 19-Aug-20 09:48:00

Kindest thoughts are with you today flowers

Luckygirl Wed 19-Aug-20 09:26:20

Thank you so much everyone - it means a lot to me that all you kind people have remembered and taken the trouble to send a message.

Nortsat Wed 19-Aug-20 09:16:00

Thinking of you today Luckygirl and hoping your day passes as well as possible.

I wanted to add something following your comment about your happy memories being quite a long way back. This changes over time, the difficult recent memories begin to fade and the happy ones get stronger.

Sending all good thoughts to you ?

GrannySomerset Wed 19-Aug-20 09:12:39

Thinking of you, Luckygirl, and hoping that the best memories will come to the surface. Glad you have the move to plan for and some of the family near.

honeyrose Wed 19-Aug-20 09:02:23

Thinking of you today, Luckygirl. Don’t expect too much of yourself today. If you want to have a good cry, then give yourself permission to do so. It could be very cathartic. Hope you have some smiles too - when you think of the happy times with your late DH. Lots of love. ?

morethan2 Wed 19-Aug-20 09:02:07

A simple message to say you are in my thoughts today.

Lins1066 Wed 19-Aug-20 08:58:29

Be gentle with yourself Luckygirl, thinking of you today ??

Marydoll Wed 19-Aug-20 08:44:07

Thinking of you today, Luckygirl ?

Beechnut Wed 19-Aug-20 08:38:03

? have the loveliest day you can Luckygirl

MawB2 Wed 19-Aug-20 08:31:58

???from me, Luckygirl - hope you can manage some ?too.

kittylester Wed 19-Aug-20 08:07:57

Sending (((hugs)))) lucky. Be gentle with yourself today. thanks

Scribbles Wed 19-Aug-20 08:01:55

Thinking of you, Luckygirl.(((Hug)))
?

Soleil Tue 18-Aug-20 18:48:44

Love and hugs to you Luckygirl.??

Hellogirl1 Sun 16-Aug-20 22:44:16

My husband died nearly 4 years ago, 3 months after our 53rd anniversary. We couldn`t go out to celebrate our Golden Wedding because he was in hospital. We said we`d celebrate at a later date, but he was never well enough, so it didn`t happen. I don`t do anything special on our anniversary, but as a family we tend to try and do something nice on the anniversary of his death, and on his birthday, usually a family meal out, once we all went on a boat trip along a local river, stopping off at a riverside pub for lunch. It`s been hard, these last few years, and I often wish that I was joining him, but the family tell me in no uncertain terms to "Shut up mother!!"
I`ll be thinking of you on Wednesday Luckygirl x

Candy6 Sat 15-Aug-20 23:17:27

I am so sorry for you. I hate to think of anyone who is sad and lonely but you have done so well to get this far. Be with your family, lean on them for support. The support group that rizlett suggested sounds good - I’m a big believer in forums whereby people who are in the same situation can help each other, I think it’s comforting to know you’re not alone. Wishing you luck and sending lots of love and hugs ❤️

annsixty Sat 15-Aug-20 22:43:15

Luckygirl I so know what you mean about the happy memories being subsumed by the last years.
I still struggle to remember the early very happy years and the middle years just full of contentment.
I really feel it helped me to cope with his death that the last years were so troubled.
Only someone who has been through it will fully understand.
The stranger you lived with, the intimate things you had to do and deal with, the sense of release when you are both out of that awful time.
I wish you the best day you can manage on Wednesday, you can and will do it.

Luckygirl Sat 15-Aug-20 21:19:05

These posts have been so kind and so moving and I send kind thoughts to all who have or are battling the challenge of bereavement.

I have decided that on Weds I will go to his grave with some yellow roses; then come back home and get on with the clearing of my house for the move. It is a long task and I am trying to take it bit by bit. I will allocate a specific task for Wednesday. I expect that DDs will pop in at some point too. I want to try and have the moment of remembrance and then get back to life again. If I dwell on it too much I will not be able to function at all.

That is the plan - but I also plan to forgive myself if I cannot do any of it. So hard to know what is right; but it feels right to me not to concentrate the whole day on sad memories, but to try and pick myself up.

It is all made so hard by the fact that the happy memories are quite a long way in the past - his long and miserable illness means that all the recent memories are not good ones.

kittylester Sat 15-Aug-20 21:11:05

Just sending hugs lucky. I have no words to help.

annsixty Sat 15-Aug-20 20:58:28

So sad for you *Luckygirl
We managed to celebrate our Golden wedding , albeit quietly, and even our Diamond, although my H didn’t understand , but an achievement in itself.
Please treat your special day in the same way.
Celebrate your lovely family, and be thankful for the years you had.
Two weeks ago was my 62nd, my lovely GD and I went to a local pub and had a Sunday roast and toasted him and our life together.
We must be so grateful for what we had and not mourn what we didn’t.
We are among the lucky ones

Celeste22 Sat 15-Aug-20 20:06:16

I'm sorry I can't t say anythong to help you feel better but im sending you a big hug. It will be our 46th wedding anniversary on Monday and I just can't think what life would be without him. Do look back at many happy years you shared then keep busy with a friend or family members. I'll think of you on Wednesday