Safe Passage: Words to Help the Grieving

Author Molly Fumia has experienced a loss that is unspeakable; the loss of a child. Through bad advice, postponed grieving and unimaginable sorrow Fumia has gained insight and wisdom most of us wish to never have. Opening with a beautifully written introduction, the reader is able to gain an understanding of Fumia's motivation in writing this, not to mention she includes a bit on how to read this book.

Safe Passage: Words to Help the Grieving is a collection of meditations which take the reader through the processes of grief.  Through six sections, each page contains a brutally honest yet poetic meditation describing an aspect of the realities of grief.  Most of these are written by Fumia herself, but some are quotes, poems or selections by other individuals, which she does properly credit. 

The sections included are Beginnings, Navigation, Surrender, Transformation, Continuance and Connection.  Each section is around 50 pages and thus each passage takes the reader just a little more and a little more through the process of grief.  In this way the book is designed to be read through in order.  However, especially if the reader's source of grief is not recent, this book is fully able to be read through randomly. 

Safe Passage is truly incredible.  I must admit that originally I didn't realize it was simply a book of meditations and thus, at first, I was a bit disappointed.  I had hoped for a little more of the psychology of grief.  However, after reading Fumia's emotional, grief laden words my mind is changed and I feel blessed to have this book in my personal library.  I have to recommend this book to everybody. 

~review by: Jessica Elizabeth

Author: Molly Fumia
280ppg; $18.95
1992, 2003, 2012; Red Wheel/Weiser Books