There is no right or wrong way to grieve
Part of the cost of living and loving is coping with bereavement.
It has been said that only the unloving and the unloved escape from the pain of grief.
The opposite of this is that the more deeply we love, the more severe can be the pain of loss.
It is helpful to know a little of the process of healing which we go through.
This will reassure us that the intense grief we feel is natural and not a sign that we are falling apart or going mad.
With bereavement comes emotional stages through which most people pass.
We are all different so we all have unique feelings.
This does not mean that the grief of one person is deeper than another, simply that we have different ways of experiencing and coping with loss.
People never recover from bereavement, and yet there should come a time when we are able to live with our loss.
It takes time to reaffirm life and invest in new relationships and responsibilities. We are all different and can experience different things at different times.
Nevertheless, one thing that the bereaved nearly always have in common is that it takes time to recover.
One way to help you with the recovery of loss is to remember the person in your own special way.
Headstones are now works of art, you can create your very own tribute to your loved one with the help of stonemasons who have the skills to design and build the perfect monument for your loved one to be remembered forever.
You could release balloons to commemorate their passing or install a memorial bench somewhere they liked to visit.
Or you may want to host an event in their memory.
As well as turning to your family and friends, there are other groups out there that can offer you help and support.
Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland is a charity offering bereavement information and support, including face-to-face counselling at local offices around Scotland. Contact them on 0845 600 22 27. The Department for Work and Pensions helpline can check if you can claim help with funeral costs or any other benefits. Call them on 0845 606 0265. The Citizens Advice Bureau offer free, impartial advice on a wide range of issues including money, benefits, legal matters, and housing.
You can find details of local branches on the Citizens Advice Scotland website.
Samaritans offer expert advice and a listening ear to anyone who is in a crisis. You can contact their helpline on 08457 90 90 90 (24 hours a day).
SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society) offers support for anyone affected by the death of a baby. Their helpline is 020 7436 5881 (9.30am - 5.30pm, Monday to Friday plus 6-10pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays).
The Scottish Cot Death Trust provides support and information to people bereaved by cot death.
Contact them on 0141 357 3946.