Grieving for Children and Adults

“Grief can't be shared. Everyone carries it alone. His own burden in his own way” (Lindbergh). Grieving the loss of a loved one can be the most emotionally draining time of any human being’s life. Not only is this a time for saying good bye to the ones we hold dear in our hearts, but it is also a time for change, change that is not seen as pleasant or embraced. This change is continuing on in life without the ones we have lost. For the majority, this experience is difficult but most have the support and love of family to make it through, but for others, this can be a lonesome and maybe even an impossible task. This experience will affect a person both emotionally and physically, but it is important to learn how to cope with the pain, and that is when a funeral director or mortician’s job begins.

Before a funeral director or mortician can help with the grief, they must understand it first. There are certain stages and different behaviors people will display during grief. One of the first struggles of dealing with a loss are the emotional and physical changes a person who is grieving, will experience. An individual will feel a wide range of emotions at this time and might even feel as if they are losing their sanity. As Jo Michaelson, co-owner of a funeral home mentions in his book, “You [client] feel as though you’re on a turbulent roller coaster ride with all of your emotional and physical ups and downs moving at an accelerated speed” (Michaelson, 47). This is completely normal and an important step in the grieving process. Mourning is needed to heal and for a person to figure out and understand their emotions. It is also a time for organizing thoughts. A person may not have rational thoughts at first and needs to ma...

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...el sorrow just as much as the family does. They have to remember to not let their sadness overwhelm them and interfere with their job but to also show compassion towards the family. Different behaviors such as openly expressing sadness and anger, avoiding the situation, or even keeping emotions inside oneself are all normal when grieving. There is not a normal or right way to grieve. A funeral directors and morticians job is to aid in getting families passed grieving no matter what stage they are in or how they are dealing with a loss. They are willing to do anything to make the situation better whether it is helping with counseling, helping with errands or tasks at home, or following through with an odd request. Whenever and where ever there is death and a grieving family or individual, there is a funeral director or mortician right beside them to guide them.