Gary Roe - Surviving the Holidays Without You: Navigating Grief During Special Seasons

Table of Contents

Praise For Surviving The Holidays Without You

Gary has created a powerful, life-changing resource. If youve lost a loved one or are reaching out to those who are grieving, this book should be the very next thing you read. The valuable content and the practical tips and suggestions will equip you to not only survive the holidays but grow and heal.

Athena Dean-Holt, Publisher, Redemption Press, Radio Personality, Always Faithful Radio

When it comes to grief, Gary is sincerely empathetic. His writing is personal, compassionate, and very practical. I know that this book will help many during the holidays.

Kyle J. Incardona, Managing Partner, Hillier Funeral, Cremation & Bereavement Specialists

Reading this book was like listening to a friend giving gentle advice - tips the author learned from his own walk through grief. The title focuses on the holidays, but the tactics ring true for any time of year. I recommend this book with no hesitation and have already shared several copies with friends facing grief from various causes.

Kelli Reynolds, Mays Business School, Texas A&M University

Anyone who has experienced grief probably would agree that surviving the holiday season is a true sentiment. This book is a practical and easy read for those additional challenges and emotions during the holidays, but really for any day without your loved one. Gary writes from the heart.

Bridgette Shockey, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

As a hospice professional myself facing unbearable loss, this book moved my heart into a positive place of healing. I was dreading this holiday season but made a promise to drudge through and make memories for my family regardless of my emotional state. This book fell into my lap, and now I feel empowered and ready to face this holiday season triumphant. I will be sharing this book with all the hospice team members I work with. What a great read. Thank you.

Nikki Batten, Hospice Professional

In this world we live in we expect answers for everything to be at our fingertips immediately. However, there is no search engine that can explain to you how to stop hurting. No website that can replace love thats been lost. Gary provides a beacon of hope. If you are hurting, empty, brokenhearted or the thought of this holiday season leaves dread in your heart because it will only remind you of what has been lost, please, please buy this book and take the time to really sit down with it. I highly doubt you will start and end in the same place.

Rebecca Brooks, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Thank you for purchasing Surviving the Holidays Without You .

These pages are designed as a grief survival kit for special days and seasons.

Please dont read this book just once.

Pick it up again before the next holiday or special time. Come to it again and again.

Each time you will be at a different place.

Youll see your progress. Youll be encouraged. And youll find your hope has grown.

And please accept this gift. Download your free, printable PDF:

8 Tips for Handling Holiday Grief

Surviving the Holidays Without You: Navigating Grief During Special Seasons

Copyright 2013 by Gary Roe. All rights reserved.

First Kindle Edition: 2013

ISBN (kindle) 978-1-62480-101-3

Cover and Formatting: Streetlight Graphics

This eBook is licensed for the personal enjoyment of the original purchaser only. This eBook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this eBook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

The author is not engaged in rendering medical or psychological services, and this book is not intended as a guide to diagnose or treat medical or psychological problems. If you require medical, psychological, or other expert assistance, please seek the services of your own physician or licensed counselor.

Published by:

Published by Healing Resources Publishing, P.O. Box 194, Wellborn, TX 77881

Other Books by Gary Roe

Comfort for Grieving Hearts: Hope and Encouragement for Times of Loss

Teen Grief: Caring for the Grieving Teenage Hearts (Winner, 2018 Book Excellence Award)

Shattered: Surviving the Loss of a Child (2017 Best Book Awards Finalist)

Please Be Patient, Im Grieving (2016 Best Book Awards Finalist)

Heartbroken: Healing from the Loss of a Spouse (2015 Best Book Awards Finalist, National Indie Excellence Award Finalist)

Co-Authored with Cecil Murphey

Not Quite Healed (Finalist, Lime Award for Excellence in Non-Fiction)

Saying Goodbye: Facing the Loss of a Loved One

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to my dad, E. L. Roe, and to all the hospice patients and families Ive had the honor to serve over the years. I continue to learn from you every day.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Athena Dean of Always Faithful Radio for suggesting this project and for all her help in editing and publishing. I couldnt have done this without you, Athena!

Thanks to Don and Sue Wills, David, Kathy, Kay, and Charles who have been so instrumental in my life. You are truly amazing, remarkable people. Im so honored to be part of your family.

Thanks also to Dr. Craig Borchardt and Johnnie Dominguez for being fantastic men to work under. Thank you for encouraging my writing and supporting me in endeavors that are outside what is typical for a hospice chaplain.

Introduction

It hurts so much. I dont know how to do this.

Sally, who lost her husband

I turn around and still expect to see her. I cant believe shes gone.

Bill, who lost his wife

I feel lost. Its like I dont know who I am now. I cant even stand looking at family photos.

Jennifer, who lost her daughter

L osing a loved one is painful. Life will never be the same. How could it be?

And if this wasnt hard enough, the holidays are bearing down upon you. What in the world are you supposed to do?

You need a grief survival kit designed for the holidays. Thats why I wrote this book.

As a hospice chaplain, Ive had the honor of walking with thousands of hurting people through deep, dark valleys of grief. Ive listened to and observed them on this rocky and emotionally power-packed journey. From my personal grief experiences and theirs, Ive gathered some tools that can help you not only survive the holidays, but heal and grow through them.

Here are some grief truths and tools that will give you a quick road map of where were going:

• Holidays are hard. Period.
• This years holidays will be different, but they can still be good.
• Alone time is good. Isolation is dangerous.
• For the holidays to go well, you must take your heart seriously.
• You get to choose what you do, when, and with whom.
• Youll need compassionate and safe companions for this journey.
• Youre not leaving your loved one behind, but moving on with them in a new way.
• Dont let the holidays use you. Use the holidays to grieve well and love others.

I believe in you. You can do it.

Take a deep breath. Here we go.

I work as a hospice chaplain and bereavement specialist. I am not a Licensed Professional Counselor and none of my content is meant to diagnose or treat any disease or disorder.