PROLOGUE

There are times in our lives that change us and we are not prepared. My mother’s death

was one of those times. I thought I would know how I would react, but I was greatly mistaken. I

could not have predicted the intense emotion that I felt or the change in my perspective of life.

After several years of living in a world without my mother, I realized that my generation,

the baby boomers, would soon be ambushed by the surprises I experienced. I have learned that

our society does not “do” grief well, but I believe that the baby boomers’ experiences with grief

could positively impact the way this area of human suffering is viewed. It will take, however, the

sharing of experiences to make changes to our societal norms.

Knowledge about what to expect is often the first step in assisting someone to cope. We

all have life experiences to share with each other. We just need to start talking about a subject

that has never been an easy one to discuss. We no longer have to maintain the wall of silence

erected by previous generations.

Some issues are addressed more than once in this book, as they are associated with many

different aspects of the topic.

I wish that no one had to go through this experience, but I know they will and the sharing

of experiences will aid them in this process. Together we can make it better for ourselves and

generations to follow.

The following poem expresses how to get through the grief process with a deeper

understanding of our lives.

 As You Journey Through All Seasons

As you journey through all the seasons of your grieving,

You will discover what countless others have discovered before you:

That you have changed.

You will never again be the person you once were.

You will have lost,

But in addition to the losing-because of the losing-

You will have gained.

You will be yourself, and you will be more than yourself.

Some people describe this process as transformation.

Others call it resurrection.

Whatever words you choose,

The result is the same.

Something new will have come to life.

Something unexpected will have been born.

Reprinted by permission from WINTER GRIEF, SUMMER GRACE by James E. Miller, copyright © 1995
Augsburg Fortress.

Jane Galbraith lives in Burlington, Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing
and has worked in the community health care field since 1976. She is the author of “Baby
Boomers Face Grief – Survival and Recovery". Her work has included dealing with palliative
clients and their bereaved families for the past two decades and also has assisted facilitating
grief support groups. She has been involved with both residential hospices that opened in
her region as well as the palliative care initiatives in her area.

She presents on a regular basis to many community groups, hospices, volunteer groups and
businesses. As well she has presented to the Bereavement Ontario Network annual meeting
and the Canadian Hospice and Palliative Care Conference in 2007, Roswell Park Cancer
Institute in 2009 and the Ontario Hospice Conference in 2010