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SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | OCTOBER 2025 17 By Janet Boyce, Resident Grief is a natural emotional, mental, and physical response to loss, commonly associated with the death of a loved one. It can also be triggered by other significant life-changing events such as divorce, job loss, or illness. While grief is a universal experience, it is deeply personal and can manifest a wide range of emotions like sadness, anger, shock, confusion, numbness, and emptiness. ere is no set pattern or timeline for grief, since the experience is unique to every individual and type of loss. Grief is a journey, not a destination. It is a process of working through loss that can feel exhausting and emotionally draining. Although time helps to heal somewhat, it is never intended to go away completely. You can learn to live with the pain, finding new meaning and strength. ere are ways to cope with grief that help. It's important to seek support from family, trusted friends, and community members. Seek professional help from healthcare providers and/or grief counselors, if necessary. In the meantime, maintain a routine and focus on healthy eating and regular sleep. Honor those you have lost by participating in ceremonies and creating memory books with photos to celebrate their lives. Grief also extends to our pets as well. ey are like family, especially when they take the place of our children in the household. Eventually, our children move on with lives of their own, and don't live with us anymore. An explanation and poem that follows is from one of our community's active members, Sharon Larson. She recently lost her beloved dog, Alice. ALICE, by Sharon Larson Four years ago, my 54-year-old son suffered a near-fatal heart attack. is is when his dog, Alice, came to stay with us. Alice was sweet and gentle, and loved being here with us and our other dog, Mia. We immediately fell in love with her. A year later, my son had another heart attack, which tragically took his life. Our hearts were broken, and Alice was now our dog. A few months ago, Alice became ill. On Cinco de Mayo of this year, we tearfully said goodbye to her as she crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. at is when I wrote this poem. SWEET ALICE Now I understand what you tried to say to me. You were suffering in agony, And you tried to make me see. I didn't see it; I did not know how, But I see it now. You were an angel sent to help me heal e love you gave us was so very real. I could see it in your eyes. You were such a gentle soul. You gave us love, help make us whole, And then you had to go. Please know we loved you so! Grief with a Poem by S haron Larson