How do you cope with loss?
Loss makes me sad. I cry and long for the time I had what I lost. Yet I realize that loss is a part of life and things don't last forever. So eventually I move on.
Yes. In some situations, loss is to be expected. Chances are I'll outlive my parents, therefore the possibility of losing them is very likely.
Another example is regarding work. No job is 100% secure so I anticipate the possibility of layoff. I try to avoid taking jobs that have low security though.
If you anticipate it do you prepare yourself against its inevitability?
Yes. I imagine myself without the person or thing I very much love and think about how I'll deal without it. That way when the loss happens, its not quite as intensely painful.
Is it something which accompanies all relationships or attachments? Would you ever eschew a particular attachment or relationship because of the possibility of loss?
I think for many relationships, loss is to be expected. Many people go through several relationships before they find the 'right one'. The rest results in breakup and/or heartache. Chances are you'll outlive your parents, so you will experience loss there.
I would never eschew my relationship with my parents even though I know loss is very likely. Likewise I know that when I grow old, I'll lose many of my faculties that I take for granted now. I also know I'll die eventually and I'll lose everything I've come to love about life. It still doesn't stop me from enjoying what life has to offer today.
On the other hand, if the risk of loss is too great over a shorter term, then I'm likely to not get involved. I'm not likely to get involved with a person who is not being very faithful and having lots of affairs. The risk of loss is too great. I'm not likely to take a job in a company known to have a large number of layoffs.