Grief Digest Articles

Every Christmas my husband Roy is gifted with several new jigsaw puzzles. He has an annual competition with his sister in law to see who will be the first to complete the identical puzzles they receive from her daughter, who seems to delight in the complexity of the puzzles she chooses.One year the puzzle took a long time to put together. Some large areas were very grey and muted, tone on tone with some splashes of brighter colours. For some reason the colouration of this picture got me thin …

That time of year is peeking around the corner. Holidays. Although originally created as times of festivity to honor significant dates, people, and times of the year, the holidays can be a source of added stress and anxiety if you are grieving the death of a loved one.Because holidays are often shared with our closest family and friends participating in special traditions, it is exactly this situation that adds additional layers of mixed emotions and stress to the experience. That special perso …

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is upon us. It is no new news that our culture and society tends to focus much attention on the gift-giving aspect of Christmas. The stress and pressure of shopping for the perfect gifts accompanied by overspending is, frankly, exhausting. There is an awkward presence, between the polarities of greed and generosity, which fills the air as we struggle to find our balance and peace in the true meaning of Christmas. Somehow, somewhere, at some time, we mo …

Death often does not make sense, yet it is a part of our existence. Journaling helps process complicated feelings, which accompany the loss of a loved one. You have the freedom to express when you want and how much. Most people who grieve, keep their journal private to ensure they have a safe place to vent about the specific difficulties they face.Some grievers prefer a blank journal to free write, which means writing whatever comes into your mind without censoring it. Others prefer a jour …

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