Living can be likened a lot to driving on a road having lots of sharp bends; you never know what's coming out at you. Of the many ills that can befall a man, the loss of a loved one ranks top on the list of irreversible challenges. Life and death has proven to be two sides of a coin that man cannot escape from. The bereaved may move on with time but can never forget the individual. Death is an inescapable levy placed on all alive which without default must be paid. The path of the bereaved is likened to walking down a dark path lit with dying candles, barely giving light. The future seems uncertain and the way shrouded in darkness. The person needs to find a way to create a light of his own and find his way again.

The first step to healing is acceptance. The bereaved must accept that death is an inevitable end and must be willing to let go of the pain. At this stage, the person feels a myriad of emotions coursing through his being; ranging from pain to anger to regret to guilt. The bereaved should know that these are normal and then let go of every one of them in order to heal. Harbouring these emotions opens up the person to depression and its attendant ills.

A support group will go a long way in easing the pain. This could be in the form of family and friends or a group for the bereaved. The individual should talk about the deceased, talk about how he feels as this will go a long way in letting out the hurt. He should not be left to himself no matter how much he craves it because isolation is a breeding ground for depressing thoughts. This doesn't mean that the people around should become overbearing in a bid to be sympathetic, but rather, they should be sensitive enough to know their expected comportment and act accordingly.

The individual could also start building a healthy lifestyle through the consumption of healthy foods and exercising of the body. He could also try out new activities in order to distract himself; activities like swimming, cycling, writing and baking amongst others. The list is endless. This technique helps keep the mind occupied locking out the pain.

Finally, the individual could help in counselling others going through the same experience as he. In offering help to them, he is able to let go of his pain long enough to help another heal; gradually healing himself. Also, he derives the sense of fulfillment or of being useful again, thus, hastening his recovery.

The bereaved should be allowed to grieve but must also be helped to overcome it to an extent in order to preserve his health. It has never been easy to overcome but time always helps in healing which is something people should bear in mind. It's not a pain that can be erased at the snap of a finger; time alone heals it.