"My eyes flow with rivers of tears." Lamentations 3:48
Free PDF articles to read and to share with a grieving friend. The attached articles may be used for personal or educational purposes. To request permission for publication in either printed or electronic formats, please contact us at: griefriverguide@gmail.com
A River of Tears
Over the course of a lifespan, we will shed many tears. Not all those tears are tears of sadness, some are tears of joy. If we are open to all of the experiences of life, we can learn to negotiate these waves of emotion with the skill and agility of a seasoned kayaker.
Mercifully, if we are willing to go with the flow, the circumstances of life will undoubtedly change. We will pass through this and a variety of other phases of life before we reach the sea.
I've been down this river of tears many times with many people. Allow me to be your Grief River Guide and I'll show you what I've learned. Of course, a river is constantly changing so I can't predict what you will find around the river bend, but I can promise it will be worth the trip.
River Safety
The Grief River Loss History/Life Map
Please Note: the map is provided for illustration purposes and is not intended to be used as a substitute for therapy.
Grief River Life Map
Grief River
Resources for negotiating
the troubled waters of life
Ernest Luther
The International Scale of River Difficulty (ISRD)
People who grieve often feel abandoned by friends and family, others say people often just don't understand. Without that special someone who died, you may be left with a feeling of being very much alone. The good news is we never alone on the Grief River Learned from our Animal Companions who call the river home.
The ISRD rates rivers on a scale of one to six (six being dangerous to experienced river adventurers). When someone asks, "How are you doing?" Instead of saying "fine," say, "Today is about a six!"
Learn more about the ISRD
Share these safety signals with your friends so everyone knows when you need support on this wild river ride.
Learn more about
River Safety Signals