Loss and grief are part of life yet, in our society, we are often discouraged from grieving and expected to "get over" it relatively quickly. We lose many things over the course of our lives: loss of youth, health, relationships, jobs, and the loss of loved ones to name just a few. Losses cause feelings of disbelief, pain, anger, sadness, and finally acceptance. Grief is a normal emotion, and it takes time and support to work through these strong feelings. Don't try to stuff your feelings and hope that they will just go away. Keeping a "stiff upper lip" is unhelpful and may actually extend the grieving time. Like all emotions, grief needs to be felt, expressed, and shared with others. It will take time, so be patient with yourself. It is important to know that each loss we experience brings up all our past losses, so expect to have intense feelings.