Reflections on 9/11 and Grieving

A book review of Patricia Murphy’s (2008) book, Tough Topics.

Source: Murphy, P. (2008). Tough topics: death. Chicago: Heinemann Library.

 

Reflections on 9/11

                September 11^th (9/11) is remembered annually for the terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001. Wikipedia (2017) reported that 2,996 people were killed in this attack.  Sometimes death happens quickly when it happens by an unpredictable accident (like a car wreck) or a random act of violence (like 9/11). Sometimes the approaching death is known (like having an incurable cancer) or suffering prolonged illness.

Radical acceptance: Death is something that will happen to all of us. It is part of life.  U.S. Senator John McCain shared, “every life has to end one way or another,” in a (2017, Sept 11^th) CNN video.  McCain argues valuing the importance of life.

Tips for Grieving

                Patricia Murphy provides education on death and coping in her (2008) book, Tough Topics: Deaththat was designed for children. Murphy consulted with Gillian Dowely McNamee, Ph.D. who is a professor of child development at the Erikson Institute in Chicago.

 

                Murphy (2008) discusses these areas:

1. Death happens and it is part of life.
2. People can say goodbye when they know a person is dying. Sometimes a person is not able to say goodbye when the death happens suddenly.
3. What funerals, burials, and receptions are described.  Murphy argues that this, “is a tie to celebrate the life of a person who has died.”
4. Grieving after loss is covered as well as the mix of feelings a person experiences like guilt, sadness, anger, loneliness.
5. Murphy argues that it is healthy to open up and talk about feelings. A grief counselor can be helpful.

Here are Murphy’s(2008)  tips for coping with grief:

• Write feelings
• Draw or paint pictures of loved one
• Do something your loved one enjoyed and think about that person
• Take time to grieve
• Remember: You’ll always have memory of that love.

               

Bibliography

Murphy, P. (2008). Tough topics: death. Chicago: Heinemann Library.

CNN. (2017, September 11), Video: Available at: http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/09/10/mccain-every-life-has-to-end.cnn

Wikipedia. (2017, September 11), September 11 Attacks. Available here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks