Although I have titles- enough to qualify for many tasks,but here and now, I am Donna: wife, mother, sister, friend, neighbour. I'm just your ordinary person leaving down the street with similar disappointments and sorrows that you experience.

There are many sites across the web where you'll find my name splashed. But for the purpose of this site, I am one who's loved and grieved the loss of loved ones, dreams, significant objects and sometimes, even a sense of self.. I've learned over the years to count all the little losses in life as important and significant enough to pause, spend time, go back to the moment and think my way through the pain, yet once more. Here is when I experience the sweet release of remembering and celebrating, rather than remembering and hurting.

So join with me in this journey of grief as we share together what it means to have loved and lost your loved one, or felt a deep appreciation for something material only to have misplaced or lost it, or maybe to have grown out of a particular status in life and be left to reenter and find new ways to go on.

Whatever your station in life is at the moment - it is important to find ways to feel a sense of gratitude. Reflecting, assessing and summarizing can help do that.

As a member of a close family, I have personal memories of grieving when members died or when we sold special properties,or when I lost a favourite piece of jewellery or even when I felt the brunt of a change of plans that was disappointing to me.

As a minister, I had many opportunities to comfort those left in the throws of grief after suffering the loss of a loved one. I've stood with farmers as we've watched the barn burn. Or cried with parents whose children have run away from home.  Or sat in silence as a mom or dad came to a new understanding that their child was different . . . and special.

As a professor of Women's Studies in a seminary/theological college, I am privileged to listen to women describe lost dreams and talk about the plans that never developed due to family, finances, attitudes, health or gender.

I've sat with many people at the kitchen table in our farm house and tried to help them put together the pieces of their life from various kinds of brokenness.

Grief is something we share together. Each helping the other walk the path toward wholeness.

Donna j Mann

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