Grief Digest Articles

Shafts of light cut sharply through the southern facing windows of the greenhouse. Dust particles dance and sway like fairies celebrating the last rays of sun before evening. I sink into the comfortable green couch that was my family’s refuge in times when children’s tears needed comforting, sprained ankles and fevers required rest, and just plain old snuggling was required. I wait for my son, Ryan, to finish dressing for bed, and join me for our nightly story time ritual. No longer a toddler, h …

Having now entered year 2021, this short piece is a reflection on what may be the fullness of the past year and what may be usefully carried into the current one. Perhaps like your own experience, dear reader, I had a relative to die from COVID-19 complications and several extended family members who suffered from the virus but, thankfully, recovered. In my broader social circles, including the workplace, many more deaths and suffering as a result of COVID-19 have happened. What I initially imag …

What You Need to Know About Participating in OnePrior to the Pandemic, I wrote an article Should I or Shouldn’t I Join a Grief Support Group referring to in-person groups. Our lives have changed since then. Our new reality is that a virtual connection is the safest way to communicate with others.My original article was all about getting the courage to walk through the door and sit down among strangers to share your inner most thoughts and feelings as you struggled to heal your grief. In the even …

After years of teaching, active participation in my church, service in a grief support program, and five years as a citizen of a retirement home, I am aware of the sadness and distress after the death of a family member. I am now aware of other causes of grief in the lives of seniors.Grief and its products differ from person to person. The senior may have difficulty finding strength from friends and relatives. A death is not the only reason for grief in the lives of older citizens. These dear …

She sat across from me, tears quietly streaming down her face. “I need to know,” she said, “is there really a Heaven? I used to believe in one," she continued, “but since my child died, I need to know for sure.” Quietly desperate she repeated, “I need to know for sure.” I hear this question frequently as a grief therapist; this heart-broken plea for reassurance. While it often comes from parents, it is a common question from anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one. The guide for my …