“I do not think the goal of grieving is to ‘get closure’ with its connotations of completion, resolution and finality. Rather, I believe the act of grieving whenever loss is felt anew develops a synthesizing sense of self that is strong enough to meet and withstand the tragedies of life and learn its aesthetic truths. Clearly, not something done once and for all, as society would have us believe.”*
‘Synthesizing sense of self’ is a phrase that gives me a felt sense of what Jeanette means, not a rational definition I can put into words. If you can define ‘synthesizing sense of self’, please share your words with us in the comment section or email me.
Also let us know what the goal of grieving is in your mind. How does the above quote differ from the Kubler-Ross model that describes the stages of grief?
Thanks for exploring the mystery – Nicky Mendenhall
*Jeanette Wright, The Art Of Attention: Chronicles of an Imagery-Oriented Psychotherapist, Book One: On Developing The Capacity For Self-Understanding (2005).
Photo received in OR. It was a grand old tree, one of many.