“Oh to be a stone! To feel no
grief!”
The Greek dramatist Euripides
wrote these words 400
years before the birth of Christ.
Grief is the price of love. When
we love someone and they die,
we feel the pain of grief. However,
there are steps we can
take that may ease the stress
and hasten our recovery.
Here are some tips that
can help the bereaved on their
journey through grief:
Go back to work. If you had
a job, return as soon as possible.
Work is a healthy distraction
from the pain of loss. If
you were not in the workplace,
fi nd a job.
Stay fi t. Exercise can help
you both physically and emotionally
because activity provides
an outlet for stress.
Enroll in a class. Not only
does taking a class provide
you with a healthy diversion
from grief but it also can supply
practical knowledge for
improving the quality of your
life.
Be good to yourself. Do not
hesitate to treat yourself to
something you truly enjoy.
Take some time to write
down a list of things that bring
you pleasure such as displaying
a vase of fresh fl owers,
gardening, leisurely reading
a newspaper, etc. Then, try to
engage in at least one of these
activities daily.
Volunteer your time. Another
effective way to get out
of the house and provide some
grief relief is through volunteering.
Local community
groups or museums and historic
sites always welcome people
who can spare some time to
support their activities.
Talk about your grief with
a friend. Expressing and exploring
your feelings with a
trusted friend is one of the
best things you can do for
yourself. Talking helps relieve
the pressure, brings you
perspective, and keeps you in
touch with others. Cry when
you feel like it.
Read practical articles and
books about grief. Reading
about bereavement is an excellent
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way to fi nd your way
through this diffi cult, uncharted
experience.
Guide your thinking.
According to Laurence G.
Boldt, author of Zen Soup:
“’Thoughts,’ as Emerson put
it, ‘rule the world’ for the simple
reason that thoughts determine
feelings and actions. We
can think ourselves into happiness
or a deep depression.
We can think ourselves into
health or illness. If we only
take care of our thoughts, our
feelings and actions will take
care of themselves.”
Cultivate hope on a daily
basis. When the days seem too
long, the nights endless and
hope a distant memory, rinse
your mind and fortify your
spirit by refl ecting on words
of hope. Though your journey
through grief may seem dark,
the light of recovery will
break through.
Most survivors will fi nd
solace in these suggestions.
But if you feel that your grief
is overwhelming your life, ask
your family funeral director
for the name of a local bereavement
counselor who can guide
you through resolving your
feelings of sadness and loss.
Material in this column
was excerpted (with permission)
from an article authored
by Victor M. Parachin, a National
Funeral Directors Association
grief educator and minister.
Courtesy of NYS Funeral
Directors Association
Prescription for
grief relief
James E. MaQuade, Owner
Family Owned & Operated for over 60 years
3535 East Tremont Avenue
Bronx, New York
718-792-0270
www.schuylerhill.com
If funeral homes were all the same,
Ours wouldn’t be the family choice
The families of our community so often choose our funeral home. Some come to us to pre-plan
arrangements because we offer all the options and choices they desire. Others come to us at their
time of need seeking guidance, support and the certainty of a funeral service that is correct in
every way. Should your family fi nd itself in need of our services, we hope you’ll make the choice so
many in our community have.
/www.schuylerhill.com
/www.schuylerhill.com