The mourning of a parent's death can take many years--for some it may take a lifetime. The first year of separation, however, is often the most difficult and heart wrenching. The first birthday, holiday, spring, summer, autumn, and winter spent without the loved one often revives or increases the pain. This unique guide is organized according to a timeline of a child's first year of mourning the loss of a parent. It is a warm, insightful, yet practical guide to help the families and community members surrounding a child who has suffered such a loss to anticipate and cope with the many difficulties that arise. Practical suggestions for providing comfort, information, and advice are provided for adults struggling to help children endure the trauma. A range of difficult situations that bereaved children encounter are identified, helping to prepare adults for a child's potential reactions and providing them with realistic coping strategies. Lewis and Lippman, child psychologists who have provided therapy to children who have lost a parent, suggest answers to questions that these children frequently ask. They offer methods for dealing with particularly difficult times such as birthdays, and share practical advice for everyday situations and events. They begin with helping the child through anticipation of death, if it is expected, or through the initial shock of unexpected death. Poignant vignettes from the therapists' experience dealing with young and older children are included.

My Number Was Up, Dad," written by Gary and Gabriel Vaught, is the real life account of a phenomenal sequence of events (that still occur today) following the death of the family's eighteen-year old son, Gabriel. Gabriel died suddenly and tragically while attending college in Chicago, Il, from symptoms associated with Type-One, (Insulin Dependent) Diabetes. The entire event was a mystery for two short days until their son contacted them from the afterlife to explain his death, his departure from the earth, his amazing revelations and observations of and from heaven. This Fisher's, Indiana, family could have never imagined a more tragic or startling turn of events in their life. From experiencing the grief of the horror of hearing of their son's mysterious death, to the channeled communications that occurred in a leisurely dialogue that reinforces his existence in the afterlife, (proving the "Afterlife Consciousness" theory) through Spirit communications. Numerous conversations subsequently have occurred bringing Light to the Vaught's of what each individual can expect to learn here and hereafter. The journey is laid out in an easy to understand process that bears witness to why each human being lives here and hereafter. The story is a tragedy turned into a triumphant joy for Gary, producing an inner peace that brings him now to the threshold of an entirely new and different life. He spends each moment now walking with Christ. Serving God in instructional and guided ways that help humans better understand their true Spiritual awakening, he discusses anyone's abilities to communicate with Spirit for guidance or joyous purposes, through conscious awareness and practice. The significance ofthe messages, serve to inspire faith and awareness, and are insightful, as they raise one's consciousness beyond customary routine thinking. This book offers hope to anyone and everyone that has ever lost a loved one, especially a child, that our loved ones are indeed here with us, always

If someone you love dies or you suffer a profound loss of a deep relationship, a career, or a physical ability, this is a book you must have. Grief is not a disease. It is an opportunity to look deeply at your life and create a new life for yourself. The example of the author's own journey will encourage you to take sufficient time to move through the grief slowly and patiently in the face of our "quick fix" society. The author invites you to find your own answers to these important questions: What is my role in the world now? How do I bring healing to my life? Will I experience peace and joy once again? www.AuthorHouse.Com BM25509