Life can be great and truly beautiful. There are so many different things that are great in this world to enjoy. It is so easy to feel love, and happiness that you can get lost in. All of the beauty can make it hard to remember that there are really ugly truths and tragedy that happens.

One of the most painful things to experience is a death of a loved one. Somebody who you looked forward to seeing during the holidays, and talking about life with, is just gone in the blink of an eye, and you are shattered.

At first, when you hear that they are gone, you are in shock. Whether it be an unexpected or expected death, you are in shock. You cannot help but cry, but it does not feel real. That day that it happens, you want to believe it isn't true. Like everything is a bad dream, you can go to bed and just sleep all of the nightmare away.

The next day, reality truly does start to set in. They are gone and are not coming back, and the next time you will see them will be in pictures. You see those around you hurting, and you wish you could help them, but how can you when you are also hurting? That day you are just going through the motions. There are questions about funeral plans, and what is to happen with your lost loved one. It feels weird talking about them in the past tense because they no longer have a future anymore. It still is like a dream.

Everyone that loved that person is affected. Things truly will not be the same ever again. This is one of the worst things. The grief will ease up over time, but the pain won't ever go away. For some, it will be too much to look at pictures of them, and others they will be able to talk about that person even though they are gone. Some people grow closer together while others grow apart. No matter what, there is a piece of your world missing.

Losing somebody you love is painful. It will be painful for a while. I encourage you to push through the pain and continue to love after they are gone. There is nothing more healing than the power of love. When the world is dark and horrible it is important to remember the light that is existing. Hold people in your life close to you, and your heart because you truly never know how long anyone has to be in your life.