A special kind of pain is felt when your mentor’s time on earth is through. Whether the person is famous (like writer Maya Angelou) or a family member, the loss can throw you into a tailspin of sadness. Often times, when we are grieving a great teacher or guide, we are not only grieving the memories or moments that we’ve had with them but also what lessons they haven’t yet taught. It’s as if our personal GPS has lost its signal and we are suddenly lost. We keep showing up to class and there is no teacher. There is no substitute.

What we can’t see, in the blurriness of our pain, is that our great teachers have left us with a very detailed road map. A lesson plan, if you will. A true mentor never really dies. Their work lives on in you. You have been blessed with the treasures they have left behind, be it in writings, art, or music. Maybe old family recipes, stories or mementos. You have already been touched by their lessons, wisdom and grace and those things can never die.

If someone you look up to made a difference while they were here on earth, just imagine what they can do now that they have wings.

 

Shannon Harris

As a young bereaved mother, I had conflicting ideas on the grieving process. Alone in a sea of much older and much more experienced bereaved parents, I turned to writing to tell my story. My hope is to offer alternative ideas to traditional forms of expressing grief and to share the love and light that I experience today. I have been writing since I was a child but have earned my living over the last 20 years in customer service, wellness, and management industries. I recently became a Certified Grief Intuitive Coach to help spread the love and share positivity with the world. My goal is to help women and especially bereaved mothers, see their value even after a loss. I reside in Northern California with my two surviving children and my little angel, ever present.

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