Grief is an experience that is hard to quantify or explain. It doesn’t work in the usual confines of time and space. It’s a unique experience, yet shared by humanity.
The New York Times recently published an article on grieving a sex life after a partner dies. It was an important conversation starter. I thought the article shed light on the intricate juxtaposition between grief and sexuality, and what it means to feel alive. For those who don’t have time to read the article, the two main takeaway points I got were:
- Missing a sex life with a partner is often part of grief. It’s not trivial or shallow or selfish. It’s human.
- Older people having sex isn’t “gross”. In fact, many want to, used to, and ache for a sex life.
The article itself is interesting, but it’s the hundreds of comments that are really moving.