Here’s a secret. You DON’T have to do everything on your own. You can if you want, but most people really are amazing in a crisis and truly want to help somehow. Like the pioneers pulling a handcart together– neighbors, friends, even perfect strangers will often want to ease those burdens with you. But, oh, the healing that can take place when you have even more join in. The secret is letting them do it.

One of the most important reasons for preparing for the death of a loved one is something called “grief brain or widow’s fog”.

If you know anything about our journey following the death of Dave and Kris and our struggle to move forward in life afterwards, you know that our widow and widower grief support group played an important role. In this week’s blog, we discuss how and why this helped us and where those in mourning might be able to find a similar type of group for them.

No matter how prepared a family may be for the death of a loved one, grief will come, and it will manifest itself in different ways for different people. It’s hard to predict how one will grieve because so much of it will depend on your relationship to the deceased, the circumstances of their death, and even your own life situation at the moment your loved one dies. So that begs the question, how can a person prepare emotionally and mentally for the death of another?

As we approach Thanksgiving, we encourage you to consider the important people in your life and take time to write them a letter or note of appreciation and gratitude. It doesn’t have to be long and sappy. Sometimes short and simple is enough.