When Death Is Near

Hello from Montana:

It seems there have been a lot of deaths of important people in the news lately, Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawsett, Ed McMahan and others. We feel sadness for their families and friends However, the most important funeral, memorial and grave is the one of your own loved one.  If you have recently lost a friend, family member or close associate, I extend my deepest sympathy to you.

When I have been asked to speak at funerals and memorials, I often refer to this favorite poem. Perhaps it will bring you comfort or give you words to match your thoughts. It is often easier to use another person's words because they express what you want to say.

Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow;
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain;
I am the gentle autumn's rain.

Do not stand at my grave and mourn.
I am the dew-flecked grass at dawn.
Where tranquil oceans meet the land
I am the footprints in the sand
To guide you through the weary day.
I am still here; I'll always stay.

When you wake up to morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there; I did not die.

Original attributed to Mary Elizabeth Frye (1905-2004)
Middle verse added by Lucie Storrs (1967-    )

It is a wonderful honor to be asked to share a eulogy of a loved one who has died. It is also very frightening to try to find the words and expressions which will bring comfort to the bereaved.
You can do it , I believe in you.

Would you like additional poems to comfort the grieving? Visit http://www.DoNotWeep.com  This is a wonderful collection of literature dealing with loss and death. If you choose to order it, you will be glad you did. I certainly was.

In gratitude,

Judy H. Wright aka Auntie Artichoke, family relationship author and speaker
http://www.ArtichokePress.com

Hello from beautiful Montana:

“Grief is so
painfully real, regardless of its origin. The love of,

and attachment to,
an animal friend can equal that of human relationships.

Likewise, the loss
of an animal can be just as devastating.”
Rev. Joel L. Morgan

Hello friends:

The following post is taken from the new eBook that will be coming out soon on grieving the loss of a pet. We will keep you posted. 

The stories that have come in from people just like you have been incredible.

One of the toughest
communications for some people is to how to offer sympathy.  That is why so many people say nothing at
all.  It is not that they are uncaring,
rather they care so much, they don’t want to add to your pain or make you feel
worse.

I was surprised at how many
of the submissions I received talked about lack of support in the
workplace.  Then I remembered twenty
years ago when my brother JAllen was killed in a horrible industrial accident.

Working at a local weekly
newspaper at the time, my boss was also a friend and the workplace had felt
like extended family.  And yet, two weeks
after the funeral, I was called in and told to “snap out of it.”

Gordon actually looked me
right in the eye and said; “Enough already! 
How long are you going to grieve? 
We have a paper to put out.”

I told him that I would
probably grieve for the rest of my natural life and to check back with me in a
few years when he had lost someone precious to him.

I have often wondered how he handled grief when it came to his journey of life.

My best to you and if you are sad today, please know that you are never alone.  I am sending you warm thoughts and prayers.

Love, Judy H. Wright aka Auntie Artichoke, family relationship coach and author