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by Michelle

Grief and Loss

Recommended movie: Up

This poignant movie describes the grief process of an older man who has  lost his wife, the love of his life. We witness both his pain and despair and his  process of recovery.   His recovery is initiated by his determination to carry out a dream that they had together, in spite of his wife’s absence. Underneath  the adventure story and amusing animation lies a deeper truth about the need, not to forget but  to continue living , forming new bonds and connections while remembering .

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by Michelle

Dealing with Grief and Loss

Bilbo’s Last Song
This is a small book, really more of a poem stretched into a book. It is the epilogue of  “Lord of the Rings”. Bilbo, the adventurous and resourceful Hobbit , prepares himself for his last Journey. He hears the call; he knows his time has come. There is melancholic flavor to this poem. The sorrow of departure from the universe he knew. Farewell to “middle earth” – to people he loved, to places he visited. The illustrator added another dimension to the poem. The illustrations depicts Bilbo’s adventures and accomplishments. As if Bilbo was revising his life, before sailing to the unknown. I liked the fact that there is no easy consolation in this poem. No promise for after life. The mystery of death remains, but the sorrow is mitigated by acceptance of the inevitable,  and a  sense of adventure.

For me, this small book provided consolation after a close family member had passed away.

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