Grieving; it doesn't matter how much knowledge I have on the subject of death of a loved one, it hurts, and it hurts a lot.

Tip 1: It's okay to grieve. While have written many articles and taught many classes about grief,  in theory, I am familiar with the stages, and how to explain the process to others. However, when it hits home...it's completely a different story. My aunt and a very good friend both passed away this week. I'm distraught, tearful, and sad. All the knowledge in the world isn't going to take my pain away. Losing someone you love is very painful, besides the loss of the deceased, it reminds us of past losses to grieve all over again.

Tip 2: Celebrate the life that your loved one lived. In my religion after the funeral, the family goes back to their home and friends fix them a meal. The custom of sitting "shiva" is a very old and valuable tradition. The week following the death, friends and families bring food and gather together for a couple of hours every in the evening to mourn together. I love the concept of celebrating a persons life rather than mourning their death. It sounds great in theory but, it is unrealistic for the average person.

In Ecclesiastes..."there is a time to be born and a time to die, there is a time to laugh and a time to cry." It is important to remember, and with those memories there is both sadness and joy. It takes time before you can celebrate what they brought to your life. So, lets be honest with ourselves...losing a loved one, is painful. I will agree don't stay stuck in the grief but you don't have to pretend it doesn't exist. God bless my Aunt Barbara, and my friend Harriet, may their souls rest in peace. Please bring comfort to all those who mourn their deaths.