Grief as a Teacher

Feb 24, 2021

by Susan Ratz, Executive Director

Grief as a Teacher

This was a theme presented in a training course I am taking about grief and loss.

It is a strong statement.

Education and learning is generally seen as a positive. Life-enhancing. Improving yourself.

But when we are faced with grief, I don’t think too many people think… terrific, I’m going to learn some fabulous new skills and this is going to be a great addition to my resume.

Instead we are thrown into a class we may not realize existed, and one we didn’t really want to take. Ummm… yes.. could I speak with the Guidance Department and switch to maybe Biology or an Art class?

When I roam around the internet to help me think through this theme and write about it here, it still remains difficult to explain.

I find an article about key characteristics of a teacher. They include – patient, organized, prepared, professional, responsible, creates a trusting environment… their students know what is expected of them, friendly.

No… I definitely wouldn’t characterize grief as ANY of those.

(Definitely not friendly – that kind of potential comparison strikes me as almost comical.)

I find a blog called “The 64 Hardest Lessons That Grief Taught Me” and the various revelations individuals share here… although at times hard to read because they are often painful, these seem more realistic. (Link included below.)

In the end I really can’t easily explain the sentiment of “grief as a teacher”, my ability to package it into a nice little article with some bullet points and helpful comments escapes me, although it still strikes me as a valid concept.

What these thoughts have provided me (and hopefully you) are an opportunity to reflect on this view of grief. My hope is that although many experiences with grief can be so painful, perhaps you can recognize some valuable insights or strengths you have gained along this journey as well.

If you would like, we’ve also posted about this on Instagram here and on Facebook here. Feel free to visit these posts if you would like to make a comment, and / or read what others thoughts on this are.

Take care…
Susan

PS – If you would like to read “The 64 Hardest Lessons That Grief Taught Me” you can find that by clicking here.

We’re Moving…

Jan 25, 2021

Dear members,

Effective mid-February our office will no longer be located at 571 Wharncliffe Rd S.

I realize this announcement may come as a shock to some – especially those who spent time at the Wharncliffe Rd office. It really has been more than an office, but a home, for Bereaved Families and its members for so many years.

In the months ahead our team will be working remotely from individual locations as we expect that providing support through phone calls and virtual support groups will be common place for the foreseeable future.

As time progresses, and the future of in-person contact is more certain, we will look at once again reviewing our office and meeting space arrangements.

As some may know, our landlord for all of these years has been the London Home Builders Association who have always been very generous with our rental agreement.

This past fall, London Home Builders Association made the decision to sell their units – including the one Bereaved Families occupied – that are located in the building at 571 Wharncliffe Rd S. Subsequently, our unit has been sold.

Although plans are coming together for the move, it does take time to make arrangements, pack and organize – especially during a pandemic, and we appreciate your patience at this time as we transition.

A few notes:

Our mailing address has been updated to a PO Box & a forwarding service will be applied to our Wharncliffe address.

Our new mailing address is:
Bereaved Families of Ontario – Southwest Region
PO Box 22067
London, ON N6A 6H8

Our phone number 519-686-1573 will not change although there may be some delays late January to early February answering messages as this service moves.

The books in the Darren Walsh Memorial Library will be stored, and as time allows we will be reviewing these materials and determining how to move forward with these in the future.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected] or a leave a message for me at 519-686-1573.

Sincerely,
Susan Ratz
Executive Director