Philosophy of Grief

 a prolegomenon

 

             Philosophy is like sitting in a café and sipping a hot latte. It’s something special and reassuring. It should be a triple espresso and give us a jolt of energy because it opens a window into a convoluted problem and we can finally see the genesis of an answer. It should roust us into spirited discussions.

 

            A philosophy of grief should help those who are grieving understand what is happening, guide us in learning about ourselves, and help us find meaning in our experiences. It should also enable us to see how our personal suffering, the grief of one individual, fits into the larger context of the suffering going in the world. 

 

Grateful At the Table

On Thanksgiving we gather at many tables, some with family, some with friends. The holiday can be brutal on those who are grieving because it insists that we be thankful, and on the first Thanksgiving after a death, all we may be able to feel is sorrow for the person who died.

 

The traditional things we celebrate on Thanksgiving are food, family, and home. If we haven’t recovered our interest in food, and we don’t have the energy to make our traditional holiday dishes, this option is out. Family means the people we usually gather with, but if they are tired of hearing about our grief, then we have to remain silent and sit on the side of their conversations. If we always spent Thanksgiving at home with the one who died, then anything we do on this day is likely to be a dirge.