Father’s Day Without Dad: 5 Life Lessons That Grief Will Teach You

Throughout one’s lifetime, a father plays a very important role. For many of us, your dad is your first hero and one of the most important people in your life. A father teaches us many things in life while offering love, guidance, and support. With Father’s Day around the corner, millions of people will say thanks to one of the most important men in their lives.

If your dad is no longer here though, it can be a day that can be emotional or one you try to forget altogether. With that being said, Father’s Day without your dad can still be celebrated. Last year, for instance, we published a post about Remembering Your Dad on Father’s Day. It’s full of great ideas for you to pay tribute to your dad and feel a connection to him on this special day.

Even with so many great ways to celebrate Father’s Day without your dad, it understandable that you might not feel up for it. In fact, many people find it can be a day that’s filled with grief even if many years have passed since your father’s passing. That grief can be a powerful tool and teach you a lot about life. In some way, it’s almost like your father is still teaching you lessons about life.

At the end of our Father’s Day article last year, we asked our readers how they planned to honor their dad. The response was incredible, to say the least. What was even more remarkable though was the lessons some people shared with us. They said that the grief they felt spending Father’s Day without their dad taught them a lot about life, and themselves.

This year, we want to share the wisdom they offered to us with everyone. Here are 5 lessons about life, that grief will teach you.

Life is short, make the most of it.

Death waits for no man. In the blink of a second, life can simply come to an end. That might make you feel uncomfortable, but understanding that provides a valuable lesson. Too often we hear about someone who “died too soon”. Take a minute and think about yourself. If you knew you only had 10 years, 5 years, 6 months, a week left; what would you do? Life is a very valuable thing when you start to appreciate that, you begin to live it to the fullest. Not a day goes by that many people don’t wish their dad was still here to spend time with. Now is the time to make the most of life, and create those cherished memories with your loved ones.

Enjoy getting older.

You should never be upset with getting older. The fact is, it’s another day you have to spend with the ones you love. Rather than be upset about growing old, embrace the fact that age has given you so many wonderful memories. With each day that goes by, I try to make sure that I make one positive impact on the people in my life. Eventually, your time will come, and all that your loved ones have left will be the memories they made while you were still here. Enjoy getting older, it means you have another chance to create memories for others to cherish when you’re gone.

Know what’s important in your life.

It’s great to have goals, ambitions, and a rewarding career. But first and foremost, your family should always take precedence. When you lose someone you love, it makes you appreciate the people you still have in your life. It also teaches you the value of a memory. When you lose a parent, it makes you reflect on the memories you shared with them. For many of us, we wish we had more of those memories. What that teaches us is that you need to make an effort to make those memories. Understand what’s important in your life so you can prioritize the people you want to leave those memories with.

Don’t run away, embrace life’s challenges.

Life is a journey filled with endless twists and turns. You’ll experience happiness and joy, but also pain and grief. For some people, grief is something they try to avoid or pretend doesn’t exist. What I learned from my father’s passing was you can’t outrun those feelings. As much as you try to pretend they’re not there, they are and you have to deal with them. Embrace the challenges life throws at you. If you do, not only will you live a happier life, you’ll develop strength and resilience to help you face anything.

Healing doesn’t happen overnight.

Dealing with grief is a process, and it takes time to overcome it. One of the first things I learned after my father’s passing was that people grieve in their own way, at their own pace. There’s no set timeframe or date that grief will magically end. Understand that everything will work out and eventually the pain you feel will begin to fade. And in its place, will be the memories you’ve created with that person which bring a smile to your face.

Happy Father’s Day from ObitTree

From all of us at ObitTree, we want to take a moment to thank dads for everything that they do. We hope you enjoy Father’s Day and spend it celebrating your dad with family and friends.

What’s the greatest lesson your dad taught you? We want to hear about them.

Happy Father’s Day.