The notion of mourning comes from the Latin language, more precisely from the word luctus . This is the name given to the external manifestation of pain suffered due to the death of a loved one .
Mourning includes various rituals and traditions that vary according to each culture . In all cases, the aim is to externalize the pain caused by death and show respect through mourning .
In most Western countries , mourning is currently symbolized by the color black . In this way, those in mourning dress in clothing of this color or use a black bow. Some time ago, however, mourning was associated with white .
Official mourning or national mourning is called what a government decrees in the face of a national catastrophe or the death of a personality. This protocol measure involves various actions that reflect the pain of the authorities and the people, such as the raising of flags at half-mast or the suspension of festive events.
In Argentina , for example, the authorities decreed a three-day national mourning (equivalent to national mourning) after the discovery of the remains of the ARA San Juan submarine, which remained missing for a year. This mourning made it possible to honor the 44 crew members who were traveling on the boat.
Mourning is also mentioned as anguish , affliction or grief that is experienced over something, beyond what is protocol or external. For example: "The world of football is mourning the death of the former national team player," "Five workers have just been fired, so we are mourning in the office."
The process that a person goes through when they have lost a loved one is particular in each case, and this means that both its intensity and duration can vary. There are those who break down and fall into a state of deep sorrow that prevents them from continuing with their routines, but there are also those who arm themselves with a shell that protects them from suffering and move on, at least for a while.
In this last point we find one of the most peculiar characteristics of mourning: it is not always experienced immediately after death, but can come some time later. There are certain variables that influence this factor, such as the existence or not of a previous illness on the part of the victim; A slow, degenerative illness that lasts several months or years can help, so to speak, those close to you to prepare for the final day.
In such a case, mourning can be delayed or occur intermittently as a defense mechanism : after months or years of caring for someone, the level of energy we have left is so low that if we add to this a Devastating grief over death, we may not be able to recover. However, it is not a conscious decision, but rather each person experiences it spontaneously, as best they can.
The customs that revolve around mourning in each country and each region can help alleviate the weight of loss, because they take us to a common space with many people who have already gone through the same thing. It is very important to express our feelings during this difficult stage to endure , and that is what friends are for, people who really care about us.
Of course, not all of us know how to express our deepest feelings. A good starting point for learning to let off steam is reading works that deal with these topics, especially if they have been written by authors who have experienced loss .