The journey of grief has been a surprising one for me, since the passing of my mother just days before Mother’s Day in 2014. That November, I came across an email from an online catalogue company from which I had ordered Christmas gifts for my mother, and just seeing the name of the company was enough to fill my eyes with tears. It was because of moments like that that I decided I needed to take some time to care for myself, so I signed up for the GriefShare class that was being offered at my church the following January. It was through watching the videos and participating in the class discussions that I discovered that my seeming forgetfulness and lack of energy were not signs of serious health issues but were really reflections of my grief over mother’s passing.

If you have recently experienced the loss of a loved one or find yourself still grieving someone’s death several years ago, consider being a part of the Wednesday afternoon GriefShare class which runs through March 30. The class meets from 1:00-2:30 p.m. in Room One of the Education Building at Sun Lakes United Methodist Church. Pastor Jean Newell and Carol Israel will be the co-facilitators.

Each lesson is self-contained, so if you are not able to attend every class, you are welcome to come as often as you can. The class registration fee of $15 covers the cost of the workbook. Register online at www.sunlakesumc.org or at the church office. For more information call 480-895-8766.