My sister and I used to call each other every year on the anniversary of our mom's death, but somewhere around year seven we stopped and now it's been fifteen years and we both pretend the date doesn't exist. We've never talked about why we stopped or whether we should start again, but I can feel us both holding our breath every October.
More people experience this than they realize.
Two people who once shared a grief ritual have silently abandoned it without ever discussing whether this represents healing, avoidance, or simply different needs emerging over time.
“Where Are You with How grief changes over years and decades?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.