I was invited to attend a “grief writing workshop” yesterday evening. While I have had some training in pastoral counseling and have had a significant amount of experience in hospital ministry, I had never had specific training in regard to writing and grief. Oh sure, I had heard things like, “Keep a journal.” That does not exactly give you a lot to go on if you are unfamiliar with writing or with processing grief. Thus, I thought this training would enhance my ministry to others who are grieving. I was not disappointed.
The other attendees at the workshop were all experiencing grief from recent losses. I was at the workshop to learn how to be a better minister to others and was not really processing my own grief. However, the writing exercises required that I have a person in mind as I write. Although it has been over a year since mom died, I chose to focus on her. As I wrote, I began to revisit some of the memories from our last trip together just a little over a year before she died. Today, I went through some of those photos again. In four days it will be mom’s birthday. She would be celebrating 93 years. I am grateful for the photos from our last trip.
I want to express my gratitude today to Pennie Hunt, the leader of our workshop. (www.penniehunt.com/) You walked us through an amazing process in a very brief amount of time. Your compassion and pastoral sensitivity toward those whose grief was fresh and deep was inspiring. May God bless you abundantly for your ministry of healing.