Being a survivor of a suicide loss is hard, there is no question about it. We are left with an unfinished story. 
We struggle to find people who understand the pain we are feeling. We work to make sense of this new world we are living in. We all know how difficult it is. So, why are we so hard on ourselves? I often hear other survivors of a suicide loss talk about their struggles. They talk about their flaws in their ability to grieve, failing to acknowledge the strength they possess. It is extremely difficult to live in a world that no longer makes sense. The ground is no longer sturdy; everything has been washed away or destroyed. Do we call victims of a natural disaster weak? No, we marvel in their strength and ability to begin again. We need to redirect this same energy onto ourselves. Be proud of the person you are, the strength you possess, and your ability to keep going when it is the last thing you want to do.
Wow, thank you for your post. It’s been 12 years since my father shot himself . I am still trying to cope.
This is something I needed to be reminded of. It is so easy to fall into negative self-talk: “I’m pathetic.” “I’m broken.” “I should be doing better than this.” When truly, getting through each day is courageous. We all know the power of kind words. Today, I will try to be gentle with myself.