FIND LOCAL SUPPORT 
 |
|
When we think about someone dying, or are dealing with death, a natural reaction that we may knowingly or unknowingly have is to think about our own mortality. In other words, we may react by questioning if this could have happened to us. It's hard to think about death, our own or someone else's. The North American culture doesn't really encourage us to think or talk about death. We prefer to focus on the positive things in life. Sometimes this leads us to have an unrealistic attitude about life - that we can stay young and alive forever; that we will never die. So when someone does die, we can't believe it! We say, "No, that can't be." We don't want to believe it, thinking it must be a mistake or a very sick joke. As the reality of the death sinks in, the sadness, confusion and anger begins to happen. We don't know what to do or say when dealing with death. Sometimes, in a community, someone very young dies tragically or someone well-known and respected dies or more than one person dies at the same time. There is then a community response to loss. It is then that the community may respond as one. People may gather at the site of the death, bringing flowers or other tokens of remembrance. Flags may be flown at half-mast. Relief funds or disaster funds are collected. People get together to share their grief or, in some way, help the families or other survivors of the death. When a community as a whole experiences a loss, the community responds in their grief. Being together and sharing the experience helps the healing when dealing with death. Return to Top |
COMMUNITY LOSS
Our Response to Loss | |||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||