Ruth Williams

The holidays are coming. Evidence is mounting!

Red and green are beginning to infiltrate the stores. Many of us resist the sudden onslaught of turkeys and wreaths due to what many believe is an over-commercialization of the holiday season. But for many others, the upcoming holidays are resisted because a beloved member of their family will not be at their spot at the dinner table or occupying the favorite easy chair in the corner.

One of the reasons folks dread the holidays is that we traditionally see holidays (particularly the ones in November and December: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa…) as a time for family to gather and share joyful experiences with one another. When one of the usual faces is absent, it can change the whole experience into one of sadness and loss.

Alive Grief Support Services recognizes that the holidays are an exceptionally challenging time for most grieving individuals. Consequently, we have three evening seminars scheduled around the theme of “Grief During the Holidays” – two in Nashville on November 19 and December 3 and one in Murfreesboro on December 1. (Call 963-4732 to register for the Nashville seminars and 907-1677 to register for the Murfreesboro seminar.)

If you need a little help getting through the next few weeks, please join us. John Baker, a grief counselor, will share some helpful information, followed by a very lovely and meaningful ritual for those who choose to participate. John and our other grief counselors are available for individual counseling as well for anyone who has experienced a loss, regardless of whether they had a connection to an Alive Hospice patient or not.

We all need one another all throughout the year. Holidays are no different. In fact, often they’re extra hard. It’s okay to ask for help.

Ruth Williams is a counselor with Alive Grief Support Services, the bereavement support program of Alive Hospice.