You Don’t Just Lose Someone Once—You Lose Them Every Day, Over And Over Again

“You don’t just lose someone once.

You lose them when you close your eyes each night.
And as you open them each morning.

You lose them throughout the day.
An unused coffee cup.
An empty chair.
A pair of boots no longer there.

You lose them as the sun sets.
And darkness closes in.

You lose them as you wonder why.
Staring at a star lit sky.

You lose them on the big days.
Anniversaries.
Birthdays.
Graduations.
Holidays.
Weddings.
And the regular days, too.

You lose them in the ordinary.
Paperwork.
Household chores.
Routines taken for granted.

You lose them in the familiar.
A song they used to sing.
The scent of their cologne.
A slice of their favorite pie.

You lose them in conversations you will never have.
And all the words unsaid.

You lose them in all the places they’ve been.
And all the places they longed to go.

You lose them in what could have been.
And all the dreams you shared.

You lose them as you pick up the broken pieces.
And begin your life anew.

You lose them when you realize.
This is your new reality.

They are never coming back.

No matter how much
You miss them or
Need them.

No matter how hard you pray.

They are gone.
And you must go on.

Alone.

You lose them as the seasons change.
The snow blows.
The flowers blossom.
The grass grows.
The leaves fall.

You lose them again and again.
Day after day.
Month after month.
Year after year.

Time marches on, carrying them further and further way.

You lose them as your hair whitens and your body bends with age.

Your memory fades.
And the details begin to blur.

Their face stares back at you from a faded photograph.
Someone you used to know.

You think you might have loved them once.
Long ago.

Back then.
When you were whole.

You don’t just lose someone once.

You lose them every day.

Over and over again.

For the rest of your life.”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Monica Bobbitt, a military widow from Ottawa, Ontario who writes about grief and resiliency at A Goat Rodeo. You can follow her journey on Instagram and Twitter. Submit your own story here, and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos. 

Read more stories like this here:

Why You Should Stop Telling Your Loves Ones “Time Will Heal” Their Grief

‘I’m grieving for three. And some days, it’s all consuming.’: Young widow shares grief journey in wake of husband’s passing

‘Without this grief, I wouldn’t know the strength of our love.’: Young widow candidly shares powerful realizations on grief

‘These days, my face couldn’t be more fake.’: Young widow shares pain of hiding grief, forcing fake smile

Have you experienced loss? Please SHARE on Facebook and Instagram to make others aware there is a community of support available.