Summary

"The Grieving Garden" is an opportunity for the reader to meet 22 parents who have survived the loss of a child. The parents you will meet in these pages represent a wide range of experiences, offering validation and support for each step of the mourning and healing process. It's a grief support group the reader can attend in the privacy of his or her own home, for as long or short a time as they wish, at any time of the day or night that they need the support.

Quotes

[There are so many worthy quotes to use from this book. The quote below has been chosen to illustrate the strength and potential comfort this book could provide for a parent grieving the loss of a child. The editors have taken the experiences of other bereaved parents and illustrated how they have addressed the difficult questions each bereaved parent faces in their grief journey.]

"Try to imagine the two of us, Suzanne and Susan, are sitting in your living room or your office and talking with you about your own grieving experience. What happened to you in the first weeks after your child died? Where did you look for support and how did that work out? How is your family dealing with their enormous loss?

Better yet put yourself in a garden, in the company of twenty two welcoming friends, who've felt what you're feeling, who care about you and who want to keep you company in your grief."

General Themes

It is easy to find a particular topic and read diverse experiences with it, since the book is divided into recognizable themes: Hanging On, Seeking Support, Redefining Home, Looking Within, Grasping the Silver Chord, and Reaching Out. Each of these sections has chapters that speak to the specific challenges encountered, for example: Surviving the First Days, Answering THE QUESTION, Meeting your Child's Friends, Responding to Sympathy, Preserving the Marriage, Fighting Despair, Working with Anger, Continuing the Connection.

What the Reviewer Liked

This book is the closest thing I've ever seen to attending a grief support group. It offers opportunities to feel the companionship of others who know what it's like, as well as hear divergent points of view on some of the dilemmas faced.

Shortcomings or Flaws

None.

Writing Style

The book speaks with the voice of each of the 22 parents, which makes for powerful, supportive reading.

Author Qualifications

The editors, as well as the 22 authors of essays in this book, are bereaved parents discussing what they experienced during and after the death of their child.

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Kara is the Gothic root of the word "care."
It means to reach out, to care, to lament, to grieve with.