Tips on overcoming the loss of cherished, personal belongings in disasters
Associated PressLosing important sentimental belongings — those items that represented who you are — can be traumatic for those who go through disasters that destroy homes. “Our body also takes time to absorb the blow.” Recovering from loss requires “understanding the impact that it’s having,” says O’Connor. Document the stories,” says Matt Paxton, a decluttering expert and author of “Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff.” Pass on what those lost treasures represented. Disasters and trauma often affect whole families, communities, “even a whole state and country,” says O’Connor. So it helps to remember “that our shared response builds meaning and memorializes, and it’s often by turning to others that we find the strength to go on.” Look forward to a meaningful future Disaster and recovery will create new precious memories, and new photo albums full of photos.
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