Reviewed by Ray Wiseman

    

Grief, the most persistent of human emotions, besets all of us during life's journey. While we can never avoid its onset following the death of a loved one, few of us know how to deal with it, to minimize its disruptions, and work through it to regain our emotional stability. Many times when it springs from non-death circumstances, like financial, personal, or job loss, we don t even recognize it.

The Reverend Dr. Mann faced what might be the ultimate grief experience when her two-year-old daughter opened a child-proof gate, ventured onto thin ice, and died. In WinterGrief she takes us through those difficult days that evolved into years of shock, denial, guilt, anger, and self pity. Instead of helping her, our culture--which puts a false face on death and dispenses cliches rather than heartfelt help--pushed her more deeply into depression and insecurity.

How she turned those scars into stars is the main theme of the book. She passes on to us the things she learned so that we can avoid the pitfalls of poor response to grief--not that we will escape grief, but that we make it a growth point in our lives.

Donna Mann, grew up near Elora, had five children (one deceased), and entered the ministry in mid-life. Now in retirement, she lives at "The Meadows," near Mt. Forrest with her husband Doug of 47 years. She accepts short-term pastoral assignments, writes, and does grief counselling.

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