Dear Ravenclaw,

NO, you are NOT crazy, depressed,... probably and rightfully so. Anger is a part of the process in grief. Someone we loved was ripped out of our lives. That makes us angry. We need a place to PUT that anger and people have various avenues from which to choose.

You are also not an anti-social cranky person. You are a person in grief.

EVERYTHING you are feeling is natural and a means of coping with your loss.

The feelings of guilt are the ones I personally found most perplexing in myself and my journey through grieving. I hear so many others going through grief express the same feelings of guilt. I am guessing that is just a part of the process.

While the death of our loved one happened at a specific time and date, the grief of those left behind is not a single event. It is a process that has no time limit or "end" date. It can be slow and long. It is a gradual movement toward a new life without our loved one. Grief is a process, a long journey. You will experience a lot of emotions that you don't even understand. You will lack emotions that you feel you should have at this time.

How much and when you cry indicate nothing other than your body's attempt to cope with the devastation you feel. It is OK to cry at what you may perceive as odd times. It is OK to feel a numbness looking at photos. All your feelings are valid. It is also OK not to understand them.

Thanks for sharing your feelings with us. I hope you will find some comfort in sharing your pain even if only for the moment you type the words to express them.

I feel fairly confident to say that you wish someone could take this pain and emotional turmoil away from you. I wish we could but since we don't have that ability, we can be here to listen and offer our support and caring.

We are so sorry for your loss and hope that the days will get easier. Please know we care. Oh, and living on auto-pilot is also very normal.