Discovering Meaning In Grief & Loss
Benjamin Franklin is generally credited with the quote “…but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Yet, there are other things that seem to be certain in the world, too. One of those is the grief that accompanies death. Sometimes, the death of a loved one is so painful as to cause the living to question “Why?” “Why did she have to suffer?” “Why was he taken so soon?” “Where is the meaning?”
The 5 Stages of Grief
Generally, there are five stages or emotions of grief cycle:
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
This is known as the Kubler-Ross Model, named for psychiatrist Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and author of On Death & Dying. People can go through these stages in any order and some may remain in one stage longer than another. So, there is really no “right or wrong” to grieving. However, the model is a way to describe the process of grief, whether for the patient/victim or in reference to family or friends.
A Discussion Of The Meaning of Grief & Loss
David Kessler, a noted author, speaker and authority on grief and loss, offers a discussion of the meaning of grief. He calls “Meaning” “The Sixth Stage of Grief”. He met with Brene Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston. The 45 minute discussion speaks to:
- Grief Is Not “Linear”
- Peeks Into Kessler’s Personal Journey Through The Death Of A Child
- Finding Meaning In Grief: “What We Do After The Death”
- Making “Meaningful Moments”
Hopefully, by learning where to find meaning in our relationships, we can also find meaning when those relationships wane or end. Consider this devotional on A Life Well Lived from author Max Lucado and begin to make your own ‘meaningful moments’.
