We experience grief after people who are dear to us die. Yet there are pressures to quickly “get over it” and “move on.” If we succumb to them, the suppressed response will likely return to bite us and may be transferred across generations. That does not serve us. We’ll look back over 100 years to find out how and why grief became something to quickly move through. And we’ll counter that with the value and importance of grieving well. Along the way we’ll suggest ways to help a grieving friend.

The Rev. Duane Fickeisen is a retired Unitarian Universalist Minister and member of First Unitarian Church. He welcomes his grief at the loss of his wife, Judy Welles, over four years ago. He facilitates a support group for retired UU ministers and partners who have experienced the death of a partner and will offer a four-session class with Dr. Bill Yasnoff on grief on four Sundays in March at First Unitarian.

Topics: Grief