Why Reading is Beneficial to Mourning
Orlando funeral homes often grant mourning families access to a number of resources and opportunities to appropriately express and console their grief. Studies have shown that, as empathic beings, reading improves our ability to maintain relationships, communicate our thoughts, and explore a more profound understanding of ourselves. All of these traits are immensely beneficial during the trying and sometimes overwhelming task of losing a loved one. Reading is considered (among experts for funeral homes in Orlando and grief counselors alike) as an excellent coping aid because it guides us through the understanding of our emotions.
The grieving process is unique to everyone, a multifaceted blending of emotions that can be difficult to fully process. Your Orlando funeral home can suggest prayers, memorial celebrations, and many other helpful ideas for healthy coping. While everyone has different methods of coping with the pain of loss, many people are able to find solace, inspiration, and peace through reading. Below are suggestions of the highest rated books recommended for those struggling with grief:
“The Year of Magical Thinking” by Joan Diddion
Diddion’s memoir recount the struggle she endures while coping with the misfortune of a daughter’s illness and her husband’s death. Her description of grief is honest and detailed, above all encouraging the reader to accept the sadness of loss without attempting to bury or hide the pain. Critics have praised Diddion for her realistic portrayal and understanding or marriage at its lightest and darkest moments.
“A Grief Observed” by C.S. Lewis
Known for his classic theological essays and faith-based tales, C. S. Lewis penned this journal while struggling with the overwhelming loss of his family that brought him to question his own faith. He openly acknowledges the fear that accompanies mourning and shares his emotional healing journey with a sincerity to which readers quickly relate.
“Tuck Everlasting” by Natalie Babbitt
This classic children’s story is a thought provoking question on life and death disguised as a fairy tale. In it, the heroine makes a difficult decision that invokes understanding and acceptance of our own mortality. The book has long been recommended for young readers coping with the loss of a loved one.
“The Long Goodbye” by Meghan O’Rourke
The New York Times describes O’Rourke’s memoir as “a crash course in bereavement study” and “the architecture of mourning that enables survivors to go on.” Her story describes the long and difficult strain of caring for a dying parent and the effort of rebuilding after her loss. Tense arguments with family, fear of a hopeless future, and frustrations with our complex and confusing views of death are all portrayed and discussed with open and enlightening sincerity.
“The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein
This children’s story is short and simple and was originally turned down by publishers for being too sad for children. However, the sweet parable is a touching representation of unconditional love and the passing of time. While its exact meaning and message are debated by many, the central understanding is clear and can be a meaningful experience for readers young and old.