At the Myrna Loy Grade: A How can we help kids to understand death, to handle loss? I remember when my sister's much-loved cat died. Our mother tenderly wiped away tears, and talked about how the calico kitty would live on in our hearts. Rev.
Robert Lieby, who lived next door, held a service in our garden, offering more hope than sadness. The death of pets can be a rehearsal for harder times. The Irish film "Nowhere Special" opens with John, a single dad, searching for a home for his 3-year-old son, Michael.
The father, battling advancing brain cancer, wants to ensure a loving and safe future for his son. His search envelops the entire movie, ending with a decision. But it's not the final decision that defines Uberto Pasolini's beautiful film.
The power in "Nowhere Special" lies in the gentle, thoughtful discussion of death and dying that takes place along the way. Dad receives wisdom from a widow, who shares her own path from depression to acceptance. John tries to follow this Buddhist advice of welcoming grief, to harvest the wisdom that lies inside.
As dad finds peace, he's able to guide Michael toward understanding. First, he talks in metaphors of things that come to us, and then leave us. Eventually, he openly tells his son that even if he should leave, he will still be nearby – if the boy listens quietly, they can connect.
The boy cries, but under the tears is the beginning of acceptance. When my wife passed, I wrote a poem that helped me find peace. The last lines: W.