For more than twenty-five years, ABCs of Healthy Grieving by best-selling author, counselor, and grief educator Harold Ivan Smith has been a trusted companion for tens of thousands of people searching for light in the darkness of loss.
This simple and comforting guide offers short, easy-to-read reflections--each just one or two pages long--filled with real-life stories, thoughtful quotes, and practical wisdom on living with grief. Every reflection ends with an encouraging "I can . . . " statement, a small but powerful reminder that healing is possible and that, in time, we who grieve will be okay.
Smith's timeless insights
Allow for individual differences in grieving within families.
Befriend the silence.
Create a cherishable memory.
Discourage hasty decisions.
Explore new end-of-day and bedtime rituals.
Forgive.
Go late, leave early.
Jettison the "five stages" of grief.
Name the name.
Overlook the easy answers.
Ritualize.
Trust your loved one to God's keeping.
Write thank-you notes on your schedule.
This updated edition of the beloved classic acknowledges how grief continues to evolve in a changing world--shaped by technology, shifting family dynamics, pop culture, and new funeral practices. It includes a new introduction and closing thoughts by the author, updated cultural references and quotes, and a refreshed bibliography.
