Stage 3 – Bargaining

Description

Bargaining can range from, “Please God, I’ll do anything . . .  ” to “If only . . . ” or “What if . . . ” statements. We want our old life; we want our loved one back. We want to go back in time…if only, if only, if only. Guilt usually accompanies bargaining. We will do anything not to feel the pain. Bargaining comes and goes without any liner pattern.

What we bargain for looks beautiful, it looks good.  We bargain to alleviate pain or guilt, but the bargaining itself creates pain.  Just like a field of thistles that look lovely, it hurts when the needles of truth bite into the skin.  So we pick flowers from the past and hurt ourselves – not understanding that the seeds of loss carry more wisdom than the illusion of the past.