Book Review

I have always loved to read and as I progress through this new adventure I decided to add in some books on the subject of grief in order to try and ensure I have all the necessary skills to help my clients.

The first one I have decided to read is “The Madness of Grief” by The Reverend Richard Coles, some of you will remember him from the Communards and others from strictly.

When I read the scope of this book it just captured my heart and I wanted to know more. Being a “man of the cloth” I was intrigued to find out if he went through the same levels of grief we do.

I must admit this book was difficult to read, and not in a bad way it was just very heavy. I am an empath which means I can feel the emotions of others, which meant I could only read a chapter at a time.

I was shocked at the appalling behaviour of supposed Christians and how people felt impelled to send Richard emails after the passing of David, not heartfelt condolences but hatred because of their sexual orientation. Have they not heard of “if you don’t have anything nice to say, then say nothing!”

This book had highs and lows and it did make me chuckle especially with Richard’s naming of “sadmin” in relation to the paperwork you have to complete following a death. I think I will forever think of it as sadmin now!

I found it very interesting in the way that a funeral service for clergy is different from the rest of us. Did you know that they are buried the opposite way to us? Their feet would be at the headstone end? Apparently its so when they arise they are facing the congregation.

As many of you will have seen on my Facebook page and especially my group, I seem to have gotten in to reading Poetry. It was after finishing this book that I came upon the following by Lisa Kitson.

Living each day
Lisa Kitson

Now I am gone, now I am lost to you
Find me again just as you use to do:

In the house – when you  go from room to room you’ll find
The bits and pieces that I’ve left behind.

In the street – of course…I’ve stopped to window-shop;
You carry on, my love, I’ll catch you up.

At night - as darkness slowly fills the sky:
I’m late; don’t fret; I’ll be there by and by.

At morning – when the sky is still blue-black,
I had to go out early: I’ll be back.

In sunshine – as you peer into the glare –
A shape that seems to be both light and air.

In rain – as you look out and people pass –
One leaves a reflection printed on the glass.

In the garden – when you doze away the hours
I pass with a smile on my face, and my arms full of flowers. 

I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did reading it again.

And on that note I will leave it here for now, thanks for reading.

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