Our June seminar topic was “Seasons of Grief,” which is our annual look at how to deal with the specific reminders on the calendar of your loved one’s death. As a participatory exercise, each participant completed a set of calendars, noting which dates she anticipates being especially difficult to deal with emotionally (i.e., birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, special days unique to each individual, anniversary of a loved one’s death).Anyone who has ever heard me speak regarding the holidays or other special days has heard me talk about making a plan for those days. Well, what does it look like to make a plan for your special days? The very first example which came to mind was a unique plan one of our bereaved executed years ago. *Joe had been an avid fisherman and he had a particular spot on the river where he liked to go and fish. When his widow was thinking about what to do for his birthday, she came up with an ingenious idea. She planned a dinner at his riverbank spot. She transported tables and chairs to the location, so that she and her family could celebrate his birthday in his favorite place. What an incredible memory they made, as they reminisced together and helped each other through the special day.
What did your loved one like to do (i.e., hike, go to the museum, hang out in the Quarter, go to the movies, host a crawfish boil)? Did she have a favorite restaurant or hangout? Did he have a special cause which was close to his heart? Is there anyone you could reach out to on the day who would also be missing your loved one? You can use these questions and many more to stimulate your mind to come up with a plan which would best fit the particular occasion. If you need further suggestions, feel free to contact me (Kim) at 504-734-0140 or via e-mail at stjosephnober@yahoo.com.
*Names changed for confidentiality reasons.
Copyright © 2014 by Kim Smith
No comments:
Post a Comment