A Christian nurse's perspective on coping with grief

Nurses care for those who grieve, and often experience grief for those in their care. Grief is complex, pervading, painful, often long-lasting. It weaves its way through our lives in stages, a time of mourning, and can come and go for shorter periods throughout lives. Individuals and families can lose, for a time, the coping skills that used to work for them. Caregivers may help restore coping by providing a compassionate presence, empathetic listening, and facilitating the stages of grief with open communication, especially through a sustained period of mourning. Jesus cares for those who grieve with humility.  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)

Yet even with these concerns, grief is not an emotional illness. Grief is normal. There are as many ways to die as there are to live, and as many ways to grieve. Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist Zen master, reminds us that we are all of a nature to grow old, become ill, and die. And we are all of a nature to grieve, to comfort, and to be comforted.  “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matt. 5:4). If you are grieving, give yourself permission to be comforted and to rest.

Contact Ruth Fugee at ruth.fugee@gmail.com.

Photo by Nothing Ahead via Pexels