Introduction to Volume 2

What you are about to do as you continue sharing my grief journey.

This is Volume 2 of Essays on Grief. To follow the full journey, reading Volume 1 - The First 30 Days will take you to the point in time in which these essays begin.

This volume takes you through the second 30 days of my grief journey.

It has been a surreal, exhausting and disorienting time.

It has truly been a day by day experience and as you will read even, at times, more intense than I though possible.

Grief cannot be accommodated, knowledge bounces off of it like bullets off of Superman’s chest. Nothing can stop it.

So you learn to endure it.

Have I?

I am the least qualified person to decide that. All I know that as the 61st day dawns, I am 61 days along in my journey.

It isn’t all continuous sadness - but it has been a continuous reminder of what has been lost.

Grief as I mentioned in the introduction to Volume 1, is a place I sincerely pray you never have to understand.

And in continuing to join me in my journey you continue to undertake an amazingly brave thing. You are choosing to again enter my world. A world in which words are inadequate to describe. While you are here with me, your sharing of these essays will bring me a bit of comfort since sharing these deepest of deep thoughts and emotions is one of the greatest gifts of support you can give.

There continues to be very difficult moments discussed in what you are about to read - moments I experience quite regularly.

Please also remember - do not ever fear showing emotion - either privately as you read these essay or whenever the day comes that we may be together in person to talk about what is written here.

And when we are together - please talk about her. Do not be afraid of that. Speaking of my dear Joann will strengthen me in ways we cannot even comprehend.

Do not ever be concerned that you may “make me cry”. It will never be you that is the source of that emotion - it will come from the loving thoughts of a lost relationship and all that it means to me.

Sharing these essays with you gives me great comfort.

Thank you for joining me again.