Bowhunting while going through the grieving process

[Kevin Dill]

Originally posted by frassettor:
I appreciate all of the replies, thank you. I always put my priorities 1st.

God
Family
Archery

Somewhere in there you left out Eating  .      

[Mudd]

I love you brother!

No advice,just caring.

God bless,Mudd

[boznarras]

My wife has cancer, has been fighting it for 14 years now. Three days ago she had major surgery again. We are still in hospital, me sleeping on a chair.
What we most want is to go home and do normal stuff,. Pet the dog, cook our own food, go for a walk, and yes maybe shoot a few targets. Habits and hobbies  can be therapeutic, give a break from being absorbed in tragedy around the clock. These things have become so much more valuable, less taken for granted.
Wish you Peace.

[Mr. fingers]

Prayers to you and your family. May you find comfort in God

[Dan bree]

Lost my wife carol to pancreatic  cancer 3/12years ago !  I could not go into the woods  fish or anything for 2 years . My best friend left me . Pryor to that 2/12  years of just wanting to be with her during treatments . I didn't care . Just wanted to be with my baby . Time   Time.  It takes time and healing from god.  . I posted on some sites  that thank god I have archery to get me thru all this hell . I can go into the woods now and hunt without crying and going home.  Sorry for the rant

[Bullfrog 1]

Wow. This is such a powerf thread. My family was struck with a horrendous tragedy about 10 months ago. The anxiety that resulted from it was almost unbearable at times. Yes faith gets you through and to know that you are never really alone even though it feels that way. It actually helped me to be in the tree. And to do things even if you really don't feel like it. Acceptance is  very important. Not sure if any of this will help you but things do get easier with time. God bless you and your family.  Bill

Originally posted by Izzy:
I am sorry to hear of your troubles but it appears that you've been well advised by some fine tg'ers. Best wishes to you Buddy.

Prayers up for you and yours, that you get through these difficult times!

Bisch

[Whip]

Not having been through anything like that I don't have any words on how to overcome it. But others here seem to have suffered through things of their own and I hope their advice can provide some comfort.  

In the meantime, I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers and hope that time will lessen the pain and allow you to find joy again.

[ron w]

I lost my brother in the middle of hunting season last year......it was a trying time. As difficult as it is you have to move forward, it takes time. Shooting and hunting/time in the woods will help heal some of it, but there will always be stuff in your head that will slow the healing. My thoughts are with you at this time    Have faith!!

[Herdbull]

We are all conected through our archery and bowhunting here. After loosing my wife of 24 years, I found out we are not only connected through joy, but also through our collective pain. Since then I have decided to live on for the both of us. My days are full. Like others have said, bowhunting may not be able to treat our grief, but it did seem to deflect some of the negative aspect for me.

I have hunted solo on many extended trips over the years, but I did not hunt solo during the first few years after Paula's death. Hunting alone should help recharge my spirits, not be used as an escape from lifes pains. I knew too well the mental stress side of an extended solo hunt, and knew it was no place to be during my state of depression. Stay engaged with friends and family, just like you have done with this thread. Mike

[KSdan]

More than enough advice.  Awesome to see your priorities accurate.  We do live in a truly broken/fallen world so things are "out-of-joint."  Pain, depression, and grief is real.  Your experience is not unusual. Have had our share and 3 years in to the most painful thing I have ever experienced (child issue).  Give yourself plenty of grace and time.  No surprise to God- He promises to sustain you.

Dan in KS. . .  w prayers for you friend.

[SELFBOW19953]

Been there done that-in a 2 year span, my father, my uncle, my son, a dear friend.  I spent a lot of time on stand with tears falling from a very heavy heart-no bows being drawn.

[monkeyball]

Richard,
             Looks like you have opened up a sounding board, maybe not so unorthodox after all right.

 No one here knows exactly what you and your wife are going through, nor do we need to. That is both of your business. It sounds like something very life changing, and isn't that what life is about, dealing with the changes.

  I am not going to get preachy on you but I do know that when you fall back on God and say "Here you go buddy, help me out because I am not handling this to well." you can let it go and start living your life again.

  As far as getting back to shooting again and feeling that thrill of watching an arrow slice through the air.....you will no when you are ready.

  Don't write things off, we aren't fortune tellers and a good thing we aren't. All things are possible......

                                                 Good Shooting,
                                                                  Craig

[Roadkill]

Prayers sent for you and yours.  Some insightful thoughts above to help you.

[MnFn]

I am praying for you this morning.

As I walked back to my truck alone last Saturday evening, at the end of the hunt the loss of my Dad hit me as it often does at the end of the season.

He wasn't perfect, but neither am I. I miss him very, very much during October, November. He introduced me to bow hunting and I never feel more connected to him than when I am in the woods.

I sincerely hope it gets better for you,
Gary

[KentuckyTJ]

Your 1, 2 and 3 are in perfect order Brother. Am praying for you and your family to have strength and to be able to find the good from your situation.

[Bill Carlsen]

Saw this on FB and thought of you. Might be a comforting thought so I thought I would pass it along.

"Grief is the last act of love we have to give to those we loved. Where there is deep grief, there was great love".

[MnFn]

Vey well said, Bill. I have thought along those lines, but was not eloquent enough to communicate it.

[ChristopherO]

The only reason I kept hunting, instead of giving up, when the hardest time of my life came was because those who cared strongly encouraged me not to give up the things I love to do.  So, I kept going.  Not much, or often but every once in a while.  There was no fun in it, only a muscle memory.  At the time, there was no fun in anything, though.  Only by God's grace and my trust in Jesus is the reason I've seen light on the other side of that dark place.
Now, some years later, I still don't hunt like I once did but I look forward to it when I can.  The blackpowder bug is starting to come back and the thought of making a bow or two sits in the back of my mind, as well.  There is life but, as mentioned above, dealing with the causes of this trial is more important than time in the woods.

[Shakes.602]

Another Vote for God. He can get you through anything, just lean on Him. Jesus Christ is a Personal Friend of mine, and I lay a   LOT   of my Troubles and Trials at the Foot of the Cross. He will Grant You   HIS   Peace, which really goes beyond our Human Understanding. He Saved me when I was in a Deep,   DEEP   Hole with some very Bad Thoughts because I could see No Light at the End of the Tunnel. Jesus showed me different.
 I don't know what you are going through, but Prayer and God   WILL   get you through it! I will Pray for You and Yours, and God Bless You and Your Family Too!!    Chin Up My Friend!