Journal entry by Al Negstad — a minute ago
When my lunch companion today said, "You write a lot about grief," three minutes later when I finished laughing I said, "Well, that's where this all started isn't it? Life, in the land of grief." This started some internal reflections for me.
First, I thought "Do I write too much about grief? Is this unbalanced, moping in the land of grief? Does it suggest that it is time for a change in direction?" This bears more reflection.
Second, it reminded me of how I am different since I entered the land of grief. Today I was paging through a copy ofTime magazine, given to be by friends. The article that 'jumped out at me' was the one about a father's book, written after his one-year-old daughter died after being struck on the head by a falling brick while she was sitting on a bench with her grandmother. Grief stories now draw me in. This attention to stories of grief is different. This is not what I noticed before I entered the land of grief.
This new awareness of grief is not all bad. It has made me more sensitive to other's grief and the prevalence of loss and grief around me. Is there a danger in becoming morbid? Perhaps, but that's a risk to be taken with increased sensitivity. 'Sadder but wiser' would be an outcome for which I'd wish.
I've been saying goodbye to my elementary school reading groups. With some luck many of them will be in one of my groups next fall. The plan to finish today was foiled by 60, pages of, To Kill A Mocking Bird, left to read with some 6th graders. "Mocking Bird" has such an interesting ending that it's important to finish but the book requires much interpreting for 6th graders. They are very bright so its fun so see 'the lights go on' as I explain some of the things that aren't clear to them. Four in the 7th grade group have been with me for 3, years. In the first two years with this group we had 400, vocabulary words!
Takk for alt,
Al
Picture 1, 5th graders and picture 2, 7th grade...one camera shy,
First, I thought "Do I write too much about grief? Is this unbalanced, moping in the land of grief? Does it suggest that it is time for a change in direction?" This bears more reflection.
Second, it reminded me of how I am different since I entered the land of grief. Today I was paging through a copy ofTime magazine, given to be by friends. The article that 'jumped out at me' was the one about a father's book, written after his one-year-old daughter died after being struck on the head by a falling brick while she was sitting on a bench with her grandmother. Grief stories now draw me in. This attention to stories of grief is different. This is not what I noticed before I entered the land of grief.
This new awareness of grief is not all bad. It has made me more sensitive to other's grief and the prevalence of loss and grief around me. Is there a danger in becoming morbid? Perhaps, but that's a risk to be taken with increased sensitivity. 'Sadder but wiser' would be an outcome for which I'd wish.
I've been saying goodbye to my elementary school reading groups. With some luck many of them will be in one of my groups next fall. The plan to finish today was foiled by 60, pages of, To Kill A Mocking Bird, left to read with some 6th graders. "Mocking Bird" has such an interesting ending that it's important to finish but the book requires much interpreting for 6th graders. They are very bright so its fun so see 'the lights go on' as I explain some of the things that aren't clear to them. Four in the 7th grade group have been with me for 3, years. In the first two years with this group we had 400, vocabulary words!
Takk for alt,
Al
Picture 1, 5th graders and picture 2, 7th grade...one camera shy,
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