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Death of a Parent: Reflections for Adults Mourning the Loss of a Father or Mother »

Book cover image of Death of a Parent: Reflections for Adults Mourning the Loss of a Father or Mother by Delle Chatman

Authors: Delle Chatman, William Kenneally
ISBN-13: 9780879462246, ISBN-10: 0879462248
Format: Paperback
Publisher: ACTA Publications
Date Published: May 2003
Edition: (Non-applicable)

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Author Biography: Delle Chatman

Book Synopsis

Adult children, regardless of whether they are in their twenties or sixties or somewhere in between, often need to do much more than make the funeral arrangements. Intertwined with the grief process are many personal concerns that surface and need to be addressed.

Whether the adult child was quite close to the deceased parent or rather distant, whether the parent's death was sudden or came after a long illness, many powerful feelings and memories arise when a parent dies. Adult children must deal with the immediate loss plus unresolved issues from the past, the new shape of their family, the reality of their own identity and mortality, and the relevance of religious beliefs and values.

The Death of a Parent: Reflections for Adults Mourning the Loss of a Father or Mother is filled with stories of people who have lost a parent and how they dealt with the reality of that event. Eighteen stories divided into eight sections touch on a wide range of emotions and situations related to grief, loss and moving on with one's life in a healthy manner. A spiritual reflection concludes each section.

Table of Contents

Introduction: the test of faith9
Taking care and letting go15
When they just up and die16
Praying for them to live, praying for them to die19
No more hugs23
Losing your very best friend24
The last view28
Each of us mourns a different parent30
All this stuff!35
They can't take it with them36
A keepsake or junk?39
The family tree loses a branch45
Losing a generation46
Who's going to be Grandma now?53
When it wasn't all love and kisses61
They lived together but died apart63
Mourning the parent you had and the one you'll never have68
They never stop being your parents75
Get on with your life83
Reminded of your own mortality84
Get up, get over it91
Now who am I?97
To forgive but not forget98
Will the real me please stand up?101
Dare I live a happier life than my parents?106
The eternal perspective113
Their journey114
Conclusion: the legacy of faith121
Acknowledgments123

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