Remembering Rachel

As Rachel's Grandmother it is my privilege to tell her story. This book begin as a way to help Rachel's brothers, sister and cousins cope with a tragic loss. It has expanded to help all children dealing with the complex emotions and confusion of death. This book has three purposes. First: To give immediate help for the young child who is left behind dealing with the trauma of death and saying good-bye. To help them understand the looming burial process. Very young children are not able to process analogies or abstracts. They are only able to wrap their mind and emotions around clear, honest facts. Not all deaths are of pets or grandparents. Rachel's story is of a real little girl. When saying good-bye to Rachel, we were still in a state of shock. Thinking we had prepared the surviving children for the funeral, wrapped in our own grief sadly we learned we hadn't. As we pulled away from the cemetery our traumatized four year old began to cry hysterically at his Daddy, "You go back and get Rachel out of that box!" Until then his four year old mind thought this was a game. Second: As he processed his emotions it's my desire that there is a balance of a loving God who is walking this path with him. It isn't my aim to take away anger, sorrow nor rage directed at God. However when ready the compassionate God can be a piece of the healing process. Third: This book is intended to be used as a tool to open up communication between adult and child. You child will see Rachel as a completely balanced person who was stubborn, happy and sick. Doing this helps him to embrace his own humanness. This book ends with blank pages for your child to process and personalize his own emotions, loss and experiences through journalizing, drawing or mounting photos.