At the beginning of a New Year, many of us try to make New Year's resolutions. We do this for a variety of reasons; one being that we want to change from what we did before and often we want to better or improve ourselves.
Change is one of the only constants in life. It can either be imposed upon us, as in death, or chosen by us. The question is how do we cope with the change that death has thrust upon us and make it work for us rather than against us?
January is a good time to glance back over the past year and recall how we coped with our losses, and gain new insight on moving ahead in the New Year. January is a good time to deliberately set our sights forward to start the New Year fresh as we continue with our life journey. We begin this year with confidence and hope because we constantly are being offered a fresh beginning from our Creator.
We, who are grieving, have a tendency to stand at the threshold of a new year looking backward rather than forward. We often fear the thought of walking through the door into a new year and leaving the memory of our loved one behind. There may also be a fear of forgetting our loved one. We long to remember the pain of loss as we feel this is the only way we will be able to remember our loved one.
In looking backward, we see the loss has changed our lives, but looking forward we see how this loss has helped to equip us in showing love and compassion for others who are bereaved. We, the grieving are in a loving and compassionate state- we know what it feels like to experience a loss and we have the ability to help others who also have lost a loved one. We will know what to say and do - because we have walked in grieving shoes. The grieving are indeed "blessed people" because they know what loss feels like to experience the death of a loved one.
"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today... Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present."
Margaret Anne Yost nursed for 35 years, working mostly on medical floors. She has journeyed with many clients who were dying, and she tried to comfort their families during this difficult time. She has completed two units of Clinical Pastoral Education.
Returning back to school she completed classes from the Red River College in the areas of Gerontology, Bereavement, Death and Dying. She was enrolled eight years in lay ministry training. At present, she enjoys her role at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Yorkton in the area of parish work. For the past ten years she has also been employed at Bailey's Funeral Home working in the area of Continuing Care.
Comments and articles may be forwarded by mail to: Margaret Anne Yost, P.0. Box 554 Melville, Sask. S0A 2P0
Or phone 1-306-621-9877 (9 am-5 pm) or at home 1-306-728-4744 (evenings).
