During my journey as a bereaved parent, I have read many good and helpful books and articles that have resounded with my grief journey. One that I really liked was :"Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road", by Neil Peart. Peart is best known for his work as the drummer and lyricist in the Canadian rock band, Rush. In the space of 10 months in 1997 and 1998, Peart's daughter, Selena died in a car accident and his common law wife and Selena's mother, Jackie died of cancer. In an attempt to find meaning and healing , he embarked on a 55,000 mile journey on his motorcycle ,across Canada, many parts of the United States and Mexico. Not only do you get some great insights into his grief journey, but he details the history of the places that he visited. He also used that history as a further backdrop for his turmoil and pain as both a bereaved parent and a young widow. It is truly a great read for anyone who has experienced loss of any kind.
Please let me know about some books and other resources that have helped you on your own journeys.
Dave,
ReplyDeleteThanks for starting this blog and inviting comments! I’ve always enjoyed reading and journaling but when my son, Miles, died, I lost my ability to concentrate enough to do either of those. I felt better when my sister gave me a book that I could read and/or write just one page at a time. It’s called "The Remembering with Love Journal: A Companion for the First Year of Grieving and Beyond" by Elizabeth Levang. On each page there is a quote from a bereaved person, a very short paragraph followed by a thought/prayer and 3 ideas of what to journal about. It really helped me in my early grief and even helps me now when I can’t seem to focus or express what I’m feeling.
Liz
Hi Liz:
ReplyDeleteThank you for being a supporter of our blog. I hope that many will use it. Thank you for sharing Elizabeth Levang's book with us. I am also familiar with her work. She wrote an excellent book called:"When Men Grieve: Why Men Grieve Differently and How You Can Help." I have quoted this book extensively in my Death,Dying and Bereavement class when discussing gender differences as they relate to the grief journey.