Meantime if Yvonne reads this, I did receive your e mail but there is a problem with the address so I am not able to reply, as much as I would like to. I was touched by your story and wanted to see how we could assist.

Post your stories on the Forum and let’s get some dialogue going. It helps to talk, and it is good to know you are not alone.

I will be contributing to this blog site more often in the next few months.

Dr Bill

It is not for me to comment on the man and his talented yet troubled life. Let him rest in peace. But I feel there is perhaps one insight that I can offer from my observations of the media circus and public outpouring of the last week.

I find it strange that a man who has been reviled and ignored by many for the past number of years after revelations of alleged “questionable behaviour” should DIE and instantly be elevated to SAINTHOOD, praised and lamented almost universally. Take a good look at yourselves, people. How can we vilify someone because of troubles in LIFE, and then instantly, on his death, talk about him in such glowing terms and how he will be so missed by the world.

Again, I am making no comment on Michael’s struggles, or passing judgement on “right or wrong”. I have not been appointed to be judge and jury for anyone other than myself, (thank God) and I wish others, particularly the media, would recognize their own lack of qualification and appointment in this area.

I am just saying that many people in the last few years wrote Michael Jackson off using words that were, shall we say, less than glowing. It is an acknowledged fact that many people in the industry shunned and avoided him, which often happens when there is even a hint of questionable behaviour; and that hurts, whether justified or not.

Then, when he dies, there is this outpouring of grief which is probably unprecedented in history in its universality, thanks to media and internet coverage. But my question: Is it GRIEF or is it GUILT. Are many feeling guilt over the way he was treated in the last years of his life … regardless of what he may have done or not done?

If I take one lesson out of Michael’s death it is this. Let’s treat people well IN LIFE regardless of how “weird” or how disenfranchised they appear. Let’s accept the PERSON even though we may challenge “unacceptable” behaviour. Let’s not wait till a person is dead until we say nice things and pay tribute to them. Let’s treat them well here and now, and say things now rather than later. And it seems to me, from the little I know, that this is what Michael tried to do in his life.

Only then will we know that what we are experiencing is GRIEF and not GUILT.

Now can we “let it go” and let him rest in peace? I doubt that will happen. Guilt takes a lot of alleviating, so the show goes on.

We are planning some new things in a few weeks, so do be patient with us, keep checking in, and we will try to resolve this issue. I am just so sorry that there are those out there who, for their own reasons, spoil things for people like yourselves going through one of the most challenging times of life.

We hope to have the forum back up and running better than ever in the next couple of days. Also, please note that our online Bookstore is secure as always - and uses up-to-date encryption technologies. Our forum had been in place for several years, and was the victim of a lack of upgrades and those pesky spammers.

The good news is that I am now a grandfather …. Below is a picture of beautiful Elowyn (who has stolen my heart)

Dr Bill

This is an attempt to keep you up to date and to let you know what we are planning here at the Centre for the next little while.

First, on a personal note, I am now a granddad … my son Andrew and his wife Leeann had a beautiful little girl, ELOWYN ROSE, on June 20th. She is absolutely gorgeous (NOT that I am biased!!) and we are thrilled. We will meet her personally later this month and I look forward to spoiling her … like any good granddad should!!!

We are DELIGHTED with the response to our new DVD series, “Grief Matters” which has been getting EXCELLENT reviews, and we are hoping that it will be of immense help to grieving people themselves and also to grief support programmes and groups.

Later this year, I will be offering a new CERTIFICATE PROGRAMME of GRIEF AWARENESS and GRIEF SUPPORT FACILITATION, accredited by EDI. If you are interested in taking this educational opportunity in preparation for leading or facilitating a community grief support programme, please contact me. We will be offering this programme both in Canada and in the United Kingdom, starting later this year.

This Fall, we begin a LIMITED series of “LIVE ON-LINE” support programmes which will be available primarily across Canada. I am hoping that this series of 4 will be a prototype for future support programmes on the internet. For more details, e mail me at drwebster@griefjourney.com, and see if we can get the stream to YOUR community.

A new TV programme will be available on our web site soon …. we are delighted that 700 people a day on average are visiting our site.

I am going to be taking some time off in July and August after a busy winter and spring, but I have several projects in mind to try to keep this web site on the cutting edge of what is being offered, ably assisted by my friend Sean, our webmaster. I do hope you will come and visit us often.

Our FORUM gets lots of attention, and my good friend Ian Williams has been faithfully keeping in touch with people on the Forum and letting me know what is happening. Why not visit the Forum and “have a chat.”

I hope you will be able to make the most of this summer season as you continue your journey.

Best wishes,

Dr Bill

Thought:
Elizabeth Kubler Ross reminds us how any tragic experience can eventually be transformed into something positive: She says, “Out of every tragedy can come a blessing or a curse, compassion or bitterness …. The choice is YOURS.”

Very shortly we will be introducing a new feature on the web site.

I am doing a monthly TV programme called “On the Line.” You will be able to watch the programme right on the site here. We are open to suffestions and ideas for future themes and topics, so e mail me if you have one.

ALSO, my new DVD set is available … two years of work has gone into this, and I am very proud of the finished product, which MANY people have helped with.

Check out the 6 minute introductory video on the site, and the entire set, consisting of 18 x 20 - 30 minute programmes on many topics of grief, is available at a SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICE on our bookstore.

I am writing this from England where I am conducting some seminars, but wanted to make you aware of these new developments.

Dr Bill

I need your help, and, don’t worry, it has NOTHING TO DO with MONEY!!!

Starting shortly, we will be hosting an “Ask Dr Bill” ON VIDEO. Right here on this web site, you will be able to come online and ask me any question you have as a grieving person and I will try to answer it …. in PERSON on VIDEO. I am hoping this will provide another valuable resource for people suffering through a significant loss.

Here’s where I am asking your HELP.

What are the questions YOU feel grieving people would like to have answered??? What could I offer by way of suggestions etc. to people who want to HELP a grieving person I don’t want to ASSUME that I know all the questions, so I am seeking your help.

E mail me YOUR question, or the ones you feel would be most relevant and helpful in this kind of forum,. and I will seek to put together a list of questions (then figure out some answers!!)

Please send your e mails to drwebster@griefjourney.com .

We hope to have this new feature up and running in the next little while. So keep checking in with us … we have spent quite a few months developing new resources for you, and soon you will be able to see for yourselves what we have been up to.

Thanks

Dr Bill

Thought for the Day:

“People may differ in tradition, language, beliefs and experience, but they all have one common denominator: a desire to be treated like HUMAN BEINGS.”

There are probably more deaths that occur in the week between Christmas and New Years than any other single week. Certainly in OUR newspaper, the obituaries went up dramatically from the usual daily number, about 50% in fact. While there are probably reasons why this occurs (people holding on for Christmas, one last chance to see the family etc. etc.) this is not the reason for this BLOG.

Many of you have “been there” … you have experienced the loss of a loved one, and the grief that follows.

As NEW people find this web site, looking for comfort and hope … WHAT WOULD YOU SAY to them. What did you find most helpful. What did you do that was most helpful? What do you wish you had done sooner, or differently.

E mail me your responses and we will collate the ideas into a blog or helpful article for people. By sharing YOUR experiences, and helping others, you may find surprising benefits.

ALSO, while I am asking for help here, are you a PHOTOGRAPHER?

As you know we use many images in our meditations etc. and we thought that some of you might like to submit some of your photos to be included in our meditations…. a scene, a flower, an individual … something that would be of interest.

Perhaps with the picture, you could also indicate the message or the emotion you feel it portrays. Depending on the response, we will offer several PRIZES and everyone who submits a photograph will be entered into the competition. Several people sent us some beautiful pictures lately which will complement our new upcoming meditations, and so we thought many more of you might like to get involved.

Keep an eye on this blog … we have some other ideas which we will be revealing shortly.

Dr Bill

Thoughts for the Day:

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.”

“Ulcers are something you get from mountain climbing over molehills.”

“You can’t change the past, but you can ruin a perfectly good present by worrying about the future.”

“We would worry less about what others think of us if we realized how seldom they DO.”

And I said to the man who stood
at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light that
I may tread safely into
the unknown.”

And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness
and put your hand into
the Hand of GOD. That
shall be to you better
than light and safer than
a known way.”

2008 marks 100 years from the time Louise Haskins wrote her famous poem, and I can think of no better wish for all of you as we begin the New Year.

We want to try to make this blog a LOT more interactive in 2008. Up to now, it has been me penning MY thoughts and feelings, but now I would like to hear from YOU. I think there is a lot of wisdom that many of you have gained through your experiences of grief and loss, and I would like to learn from them, and share it with everyone else.

So starting FRIDAY, keep checking in with the blog and lets hear from you.

Dr Bill

So, now that Christmas is here:

Remember that tears are not a sign of weakness, but a sign that you CARED.

Try to go easy on yourself, and on others, and not put too many expectations on the day.

Try to focus on happy memories, not on regrets of the past.

Make the best of your situation, and hold on to hope that next Christmas will be brighter.

Life will go on. Although that may not make you feel any better TODAY, it is important to hold on to that hope.

Next year, we have some plans to do some new things on this web site, so I hope you will stay tuned. In the meantime, have as nice a Christmas season as possible.

Dr Bill

If you did NOT receive a newsletter and would like to be on our list, please sign up for the complimentary newsletter on the front page …. we want to stay in touch with you on a more personal way.

You really DO want to sign up … because the newsletter contains a MOMENTOUS personal revelation about Dr Bill …. !!!

Thanks for your co-operation.

Dr Bill

Thought for the Day:

When it comes to memories, we have to let the light of their life illuminate the event, rather than allowing the shadow of the event darken the memories of the life.”

Dr Bill Webster, in “Grief Matters”