The Alphabet of Grief Words to Help in Times of Sorrow: Affirmations and Meditations

Find spiritual companionship in these brief but powerful thoughts on the sacred journey of grief—from a Ground Zero first responder featured in Spike Lee’s upcoming HBO documentary NYC Epicenters 9/11-> 2021½.

Chaplain and spiritual counselor Andrea Raynor knows that when the funeral service is over, the friends leave, and the house grows quiet, grief can be overwhelming. As a chaplain at Ground Zero after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, she understands the heartbreak and devastation of losing a loved one—and wants to offer encouragement, comfort, and a reminder that you are not alone in your sorrow.
 
In The Alphabet of Grief, Raynor uses the letters of the alphabet as starting points for simple reflections on loss and hope. Each chapter concludes with a meditation and an affirmation—something to do and something to believe. Whether you are currently grieving or are supporting a loved one struggling with bereavement, The Alphabet of Grief is the perfect resource to remind you that there is beauty in the midst of suffering, and that love, no matter how painful, is always worth it. 

“I chose each word in this book based on the countless hours I have spent with grieving people. Not only have they have shared with me the pain of loss but they have taught me about the daunting and sometimes mysterious journey of living.”
—Andrea Raynor in The Alphabet of Grief

Andrea Raynor, a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, is a United Methodist minister, a chaplain, and a spiritual and bereavement counselor. She served as a hospice chaplain for over twenty years, has worked with the homeless in New York City and Boston, and has pastored churches in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. In the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, she served as a chaplain to the morgue at Ground Zero. She has lectured throughout the country and has appeared as a guest on numerous television and radio programs. Raynor lives with her family in Rye, New York, where she is chaplain to the Rye Fire Department.