Grief Passages

Everyone at one time or another in their life, faces loss—either the loss of a job, a pet, a home, the death of a loved one, either a spouse, a parent, a friend, or the worse loss of all, a child. Loss entails grief, and most of us don’t do the “grief work” adequately. We resume our lives, but we don’t usually function at the high level before the grief. Without adequate grief work, we never regain that level of living. It is important to let yourself experience the pain of the loss. Without that, we never get over the loss. Grief Passages is the poignant story of a mother whose 32-year-old daughter has died after an 18-year battle with renal failure. The mother traces the days after the death of her daughter through passages from her journal. Along the way her grief gave way to an exploration of her faith, her belief in God. Grief Passages is more than an account of the author’s grieving for her daughter; it becomes a triumphant declaration of faith in God and the realization that death is not the end, but perhaps the beginning, after all. Passages from the author’s journal give readers of this small book a look into her heart as she struggles with her loss amidst a world that isn’t kind to mourners. Readers who are themselves in mourning will find comfort. As one reader said, “You described the way I feel, but didn’t know how to say it.” The author is a professional, with a master’s degree in counseling.