Surviving the Holidays When Someone You Love Has Died

We know that during the Holidays those of us who are grieving the loss of a loved one can find this time to be particularly difficult.

Hospice of Santa Cruz County wants to help.

We may need extra support for surviving the holiday season if we are in the midst of grief. In the next couple of weeks we will be posting a number of survival strategies and suggestions adapted from Judy Tatelbaum, MSW and James A. Avery, MD - Medical Director VNSNY Hospice Care; along with poems and photos. Using these suggestions won’t necessarily take your grief away, but they can help you manage your grief at a time of the year when the world is supposed to be joyous.

We’ll start by sharing the following poem written by Jacqueline Brown for National Children’s Memorial Day:

Lights of Love

Can you see our candles

Burning in the night?

Lights of love we send you

Rays of purest white

(Loved ones) we remember

Though missing from our sight

In honor and remembrance

We light candles in the night

All across the big blue marble

Spinning out in space

Can you see the candles burning

From this human place?

Oh, angels gone before us

Who taught us perfect love

This night the world lights candles

That you may see them from above

Tonight the globe is lit by love

Of those who know great sorrow,

But as we remember our yesterdays

Let's light one candle for tomorrow

We will not forget,

And every year in deep December

On Earth we will light candles

As................we remember

Grief is a natural part of life when someone we love dies. Finding your way through the changes and often painful emotions that arise during the days, weeks and months that follow a death can be difficult. You don’t have to do it alone. Hospice of Santa Cruz County has helped thousands of people through their grief journey. If you'd like information on our services available to help through our Grief Support Program, please call (831) 430-3000 or visit our website at www.hospicesantacruz.org/patients-family-community/grief-support-services.