Take Heart
There are times when we need to offer healing words of hope to a Partner in grief. Below is a quote from Kay Talbot relating to a first-year-of-grief experience.
“Getting through the first year of your grief is like winding a ball of string. You start with an end and wind and wind. Then the ball slips through your fingers and rolls across the floor. Some of the work is undone, but not all. You pick it up and start over again, but never do you have to begin at the end of the string. The ball never completely unwinds; you’ve made some progress.” (CareNotes)
Note how Kay uses an analogy of grief we can relate to, or at least can imagine. She is realistic in noting that there is movement backward as well as forward, and leaves us hopeful. Some other examples may include relating feelings to a rollercoaster ride with many ups and down and frequent emotion changes. Possibly exploring feelings in anticipation of the ride and feelings as the ride comes to an end. The seasons also provide many changes relating to emotions and experiences of the grief journey.
Reflections:
(Please write your responses in the space following each question.)
These are designed to help you relate the material to your own grief work and how it might affect you as a Companion.
1. Take time to think over your grief journey to this point. Would you see your journey in a similar way – as a ball of string, rollercoaster ride, or changes in seasons? Is there another grief analogy better fitting to your grief journey?
When you are finished, SAVE this file and attach it to an email message to the Grief Companion Coordinator – Merry .
4/1/11 11:05 AM C08 Take Heart 1 of 1