GriefSpeak: The Scavenger Hunt – Mari Dias

RINewsToday

By: Mari Dias, contributing writer on grief and grieving “My Memories are a funny thing, they still remember you, Like a faded photograph, a [version] of the truth.” (The Complaints, lyrics by Dean Petrella) Like many, I have participated in scavenger hunts as a child. I don’t know what made me think of this, but…

Read More

GriefSpeak: We are all living and dying – Mari Dias

RINewsToday

By: Mari Dias, contributing writer “Shadows are fallin’ and I’m running out of breath Keep me in your heart for a while If I leave you it doesn’t mean I love you any less Keep me in your heart for a while…” (Warren Zevon) Live and Let Die We are all living and dying. Simultaneously.…

Read More

GriefSpeak: Grief is Color Blind – Dr. Mari Dias

RINewsToday

by Dr Mari Dias, contributing writer “Privilege:  Having the rare opportunity to do something that brings particular pleasure.” Grief has no color. Grief has no ethnicity, race, or culture. Nor does grief belong to a social or educational class or gender. Albeit there are different beliefs, values and funereal practices associated with death, death itself…

Read More

GriefSpeak: Time – by Mari Dias

RINewsToday

by Dr. Mari Dias, contributing writer “We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they’re called memories. Some take us forward, they’re called dreams. “ (Jeremy Irons) “We kill time. We save time. We rob and get robbed of time, we lose time, and we have all the time in the world. But…

Read More

GriefSpeak: As told by Mercy – Interpreted by Mari Dias

RINewsToday

Dog Park Confessions By Dr. Mari Dias, contributing writer It’s true. We dogs grieve all of the same emotions that go along with grief when we lose a human or a furry friend. In her book “How Animals Grieve” (2003) Barbara J. King says that humans “can’t understand how [animals} think about death…but we will…

Read More

GriefSpeak: Waiting for Dad – Dr. Mari Dias

RINewsToday

By: Dr. Mari Dias “If there is any immortality to be had among us human beings, it is certainly only in the love that we leave behind. Fathers like mine don’t ever die.” (Leo Buscaglia) This is my 18th Father’s Day without you, and it still feels like it was yesterday. I miss you, Dad.…

Read More

GriefSpeak: Seasons of Love – Dr. Mari Dias

RINewsToday

By: Dr. Mari Dias “Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutesFive hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dearFive hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutesHow do you measure? Measure a year? In daylights,In sunsets,In midnights,In cups of coffee,In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutesHow do you measure a…

Read More

GriefSpeak: A year of loss… – Dr. Mari Dias

RINewsToday

by Dr. Mari Dias, contributing writer Editor’s Note: As we lift ourselves up and out from this year of COVID-19, we remember those who have been lost. This week we reprint a column that ran last November, a remembrance of two Rhode Islanders lost to COVID – may we keep all those lost in our…

Read More

GriefSpeak: NOSDA – Dr. Mari Dias

RINewsToday

By: Dr. Mari Dias, contributing writer End of Life (EOL) is a time of reflection and memories- visiting or revisiting achievements and regrets. Individuals at EOL need to be treated with dignity and respect. We need to fill their final months, weeks or days with their requests. Not ours. In comes NOSDA (No One Should…

Read More