For those bearing the unfathomable pain that attends the loss of a child, reading Meryl Beck’s collection of narratives on loss and recovery will feel like witnessing a miracle. In the early stages of grief, it is nearly impossible to imagine ever feeling a spark of joy or fulfilment again, yet these inspirational accounts of triumph over the immense weight of grief will bear witness to the contrary; that it is not only possible but within the grasp of every human heart to embrace life and happiness again, even as one lives with the daily reality that will forever remain a part of life.I know Loss, Survive, Thrive will provide the inspiration so many need to deal with the difficulties of life.
Each chapter in Loss, Survive, Thrive is written by a different bereaved parent. The writers introduce the reader to the stories of their relationships to their deceased children, the particular circumstances of the deaths and the unbearable grief that tore apart their lives. What makes this book special is that all contributors, while never sugar-coating their grief stories, reveal how the search for meaning — in the face of the deepest kind of suffering imaginable — allowed them to discover their unique capacity to embrace their lives with a new kind of hope infused with gratitude, humility and love.
Being a mother who endured one of the most devastating events in life, I searched and searched for a resource that would give me life after death, something that would bring light into my dark, dark world. Loss, Survive, Thrive brings the grieving parent hope, inspiration, and a sense of belonging. We are not alone, and there’s a place for us in this world.
Loss, Survive, Thrive is a much needed book – to give bereaved parents a sense that life can go on and it’s possible to not just survive, but to thrive. I personally experienced the excruciating pain of losing a child, and my daughter’s dad was unable to recover and drank himself to death. I wish he had had a book like this during those dark days. I used my pain to begin Healing Hugs, which now has over 1.9 million followers. Having a book like this would have helped us both immensely
We honor Meryl Hershey Beck for taking the time and energy to publish Loss, Survive, Thrive, and we are grateful to have a mention therein. To experience a loss and then to slowly but surely begin to survive and even thrive, is a challenge beyond measure. However, please know that there are resources to help. This book will no doubt be an excellent resource, as is Helping Parents Heal. Wishing you the best and Namaste.
Hope. Such a simple word that holds so much promise. When one loses a child, they also lose hope and without hope, it’s hard to survive. I applaud Meryl for creating a book of inspirational stories of survival by others that have navigated the aftermath of losing a child.
As an expert with more than 30 years in the field of death, dying, and bereavement, I am delighted that Loss, Survive, Thrive exists. With so much grief and loss in the world, this book offers hope to bereaved parents. The contributing authors share their very personal stories of how they pulled themselves out of the abyss of pain, and found the strength to keep on going. This wonderful book will be an invaluable guide to others who have lost a child.
This is such an important book! When people are faced with a major trauma, like losing a child, they feel they are out alone in the middle of a deep, dark ocean with no land in sight. That’s when they need a life preserver and compass to not drown in the intensity of the emotions of grief. Every story in Loss, Survive, Thrive demonstrates how a bereaved parent made it out, each with a different roadmap. This book will be treasured by not only the grieving parents, but also their support people who don’t know how to help.
We all experience pain and loss as a part of life. The key is to turn the pain into a labor pain and have the curse help us to give birth to a blessing as we learn from the authors’ experience and our own. What the contributors share in Loss, Survive, Thrive and with their words can help us all to learn from the survivors and ease our own pain.
I have lived through the grief of losing many loved ones. Reading these stories of loss of a child, extreme grief and healing has affected me greatly. Each chapter broke my heart wide open again. Each chapter became a salve of healing again. The grace and courage it takes to dive into unfathomable suffering and not only drift through but fight and kick through to resurfa ing into acceptance, hope and joy became another level of healing my own heart wounds.I recommend it to anyone who has a heart.
Not long after my son died, I realized I had to make a decision. I could listen to the common wisdom that claimed I would never get over his loss or I could choose to create a meaningful life. I didn't just want to survive, I wanted to thrive, and thanks to the support of countless people, I am thriving today. Loss, Survive, Thrive is an important book that breaks through common ideas about what grief should look like and shares the stories of families who are creating meaning after experiencing the death of their child. We need to raise these voices and Loss, Survive, Thrive does exactly that.
When someone has to face the tragedy of losing a child, I am glad Loss, Survive, Thrive is available to help them get through it. The stories offer hope and role models. My own grandmother gave up on life after her eldest son was killed in WWII and she died not long after. As bereaved parents trudge through the darkest of days, the stories in this book show they are not alone and give them hope that life can go on.
As a trauma therapist, I have seen how a major loss can lead to a lifetime of suffering. I also know that even the most devastating trauma can be healed under the right conditions. However, most people never find the quality of support that’s needed, and this is especially true in the case of the death of a child – an immeasurable loss on many dimensions, which strikes at the core of our identity and trust in the goodness of life. Meryl has a rare ability to unflinchingly share her journey, showing how it is possible to honor a life cut short with an ongoing relationship that is fully open to love. This message could only be delivered by someone speaking from her own experience. I highly recommend Loss, Survive, Thrive to bereaved parents and those who care about them, and for anyone who looks for reassurance that we can emerge from the depths of grief to rebuild a life of strength, compassion, and undiminished joy.
For those of us who have lost children, navigating the road back to a ‘normal’ life can be difficult if not impossible. Like those who have gone through other tragedies, the weight of our grief is lessened when we find others with whom we can share our experience. When we share our journey with others, we walk alongside those who really do understand. I enjoy reading about others who have survived the loss of their child and learning how the experience changed their lives.
There is nothing normal about losing a child. However, in this book, Meryl uses the voices of bereaved parents to help normalize this experience by weaving together beautiful stories of others who have successfully navigated this landscape. This can help all of us who've lost a child feel less alone and give us hope that joy and laughter can be experienced again. Thank you for such a beautiful gift!
When people are grieving, they want to be heard and understood. They’re not looking for advice or suggestions — though we mean well and want to offer support, often the words we say contribute to more pain instead. The best support I can imagine is to give this book to anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one. They will receive profound sympathetic understanding by reading and relating to the stories in this book of pain and loss and hope and thriving. Within these pages are profound, heartfelt stories that will touch its readers to the depths of their souls and uplift them during these tough transitions.
Not long after my son died, I realized I had to make a decision. I could listen to the common wisdom that claimed I would never get over his loss or I could choose to create a meaningful life. I didn't just want to survive, I wanted to thrive, and thanks to the support of countless people, I am thriving today. Loss, Survive, Thrive is an important book that breaks through common ideas about what grief should look like and shares the stories of families who are creating meaning after experiencing the death of their child. We need to raise these voices and Loss, Survive, Thrive does exactly that.
