Walking Out of Darkness

From the Author:

 

I wrote Walking Out of Darkness hoping to help readers with the grieving process. Loss is something that affects all of us. I've lost four close family members over the years. My big sister, Pat, died suddenly of an undiagnosed ailment just days before her wedding. She was just twenty-three. My younger brother, Jim, died of a heart attack while he was out for a routine jog. He was only thirty-five. I also lost my dad to cancer and my mom passed away two years ago at the age of eighty-nine. A long life can be a blessing, but eventually you are bound to lose loved ones.

 

I share stories from my life, experiences from bereavement groups I've participated in, and inspiring lessons I've learned on the path of life. I hope I have some hard won wisdom, which can help others overcoming loss to find happiness and love again. While I dearly miss those I've lost, I know we would be doing a disservice to ourselves and our loved ones if we did not try our best to make the most of every day. It has taken time, but my zest for life and love has been enriched, not diminished, by the loss I've endured.

 

My father always said, "Life is for the living." The capacity to live, laugh, love, focus on the good, and embrace the present are a few of the lessons I've gleaned from my departed loved ones. Experience has taught me that tomorrows on this earth are a gift, not a given. If I could offer one piece of advice it would be this: Carpe Diem (Seize the Day).

                                                                                                                                         -- Bridget Carley