CELC Column Grief in Winter

"What's Pastor Holley Thinking?"

January 19, 2005

Today I am thinking about is the marvelous presentation I witnessed last evening by Pastor Cynthia Long Lasher. You may remember that Pastor Lasher did a wonderful job preaching while I was on sabbatical, along with Pastor Howard Ratcliff. Last evening she made a great talk on grieving in the dark days of winter, a time we are already feeling a “bit down” due to the prolonged darkness, the cold and just plain winter weather.

Pastor Lasher began by reminding us that grief is normal. When you suffer a loss, be it the death of a spouse, friend, parent, child, or some other loss, perhaps your job or your independence, grief follows. It is normal, it is human to grieve.

There are many kinds of losses that bring grieving and Pastor Lasher assured us that we have the right to express our feelings about our grief. Waves of grief often knock us off balance and make life very difficult for us. To deny or ignore those feelings is not good for us.

Closing with “25 Ways To Cope” with grief in winter, Pastor Lasher reminded us for things like, “accept your pain,” “embrace your feelings,” “let other people help,” and much more. Ask her about all the coping strategies she shared with us.

Many of us and many people we know are grieving the recent death of someone or another loss. Winter is a very difficult time to grieve. Perhaps it is one of those seasons where we can enter a conversation with someone like Pastor Lasher and open ourselves to God as we worship, pray, and receive the sacrament of Holy Communion. May God bless you so.

Peace, Pastor Holley