Grief & Loss

Grieving...

is as natural as crying when you are hurt,sleeping when you are tired, eating when you are hungry or sneezing when your nose itches.

It is nature's way of healing a broken heart." Doug Manning

African Proverb

Grief Reminders

1. Grief is a normal and necessary process associated with any loss.

2. Grief involves physical as well as emotional responses.

3. Grief is hard work; it takes a lot of energy.

4. Allow yourself to fully experience your feelings.

5. Share your feelings with a trusted friend or professional.

6. Suggestions come from many sources; trust yourself to do what is right for you.

7. Have realistic expectations of yourself.

8. Deal with one hour, one day at a time. The whole situation can be overwhelming if looked at all at once.

9. Grief work may require doing things that are hard to do, such as going places you used to go together or listening to favorite songs.

10. You do not get over grief in the sense of forgetting; rather, grief will lessen and soften with time.

11. Seek help from appropriate resources such as groups, organizations and reading material related to grief.

12. See a professional counselor if that seems helpful.

Know that we are glad to speak with you about your loss one to one and you are welcome to join one of our grief groups. Our libraries have a wide selection of books around grief that you can borrow. See our calendar for more information or contact Susan Marinac on the West Side and Mary Bornstein on the East Side.