The Death of a Parent: Reflections for Adults Mourning the Loss of a Father or Mother

Adult children, regardless of whether they are in their twenties or sixties or somewhere in between, often need to do much more than make the funeral arrangements. Intertwined with the grief process are many personal concerns that surface and need to be addressed. Whether the adult child was quite close to the deceased parent or rather distant, whether the parent's death was sudden or came after a long illness, many powerful feelings and memories arise when a parent dies. Adult children must deal with the immediate loss plus unresolved issues from the past, the new shape of their family, the reality of their own identity and mortality, and the relevance of religious beliefs and values. this book is filled with stories of people who have lost a parent and how they dealt with the reality of the event. Eighteen stories divided into eight sections touch on a wide range of emotions and situations related to grief, loss and moving on with one's own life in a healthy manner. A spiritual reflection concludes each section.