A Dirty Word Called Grief

Book excerpt: The world is unprepared for the aftermath of death. I certainly was. I had no idea grief would shatter parts of me I didn't even know existed- no one had ever warned me. Within these pages, the subject of loss is addressed with a naked, vulnerable heart as I intimately share with you the shattered pieces of me I collected along my five-year journey to befriend grief. When the waves crash, these words will hold you in stillness and keep you company so you can dive deep into the disorienting waters of grief. I wrote this book for all the lost parts of you that death took away, for all the parts you no longer recognize, for all the parts that are numb, for all the parts that are angry and afraid and confused, all at once. I wrote this book for you. So let yourself grieve. Give yourself love. With time, I promise you will speak of grief in mouthfuls as if it were your new favorite dirty word. -Ana Paula Bastian Writer, Grief Befriender, Hopeless Philanthropist