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A Reflective Journey of a Loved One’s Passing

In our society, we are by social norms conditioned to view death as something to ignore, to dismiss, and to avoid discussing. I am sure that most people will not want to read this journey of death. I, for one, did not give the process much thought even though I went through a part of the process when our dad died. My siblings and I were with him in the hospital for a week as he lay in a coma, and we were there when he passed. Although the process of burying our dad fell on our mother’s shoulders, had we known how emotionally and mentally challenging that process was, we would have offered our mother more help. It is my hopes that by reading this booklet, it will help you through this trying time and give you a look into what dying and death entail. It is important to remember not to deny your feelings: you are human, and you need to express them. At one time or another, you may feel angry with the person who is ill, you may feel like you cannot continue anymore, you may feel depressed, and you may feel deep sadness. However, instead of hiding from your feelings or stuffing them down inside yourself, which is well known to make you feel worse, express them in an appropriate way. If you have someone with whom you can talk about your thoughts and feelings, you will feel better and be more able to handle the end of your loved one’s journey.