It’s almost here! Are you excited? Just one more page on my wall calendar and summer will be here! Now, I need to tell you, I’m a sunshine-kind-of-gal! I ‘need’ the sun, the warmth of the sun, and a tan, of course! (Thankfully, I now live in Arizona where the sunshine has replaced my Vitamin D gummies.) But, growing up in Indiana I quickly learned I could never really count on ‘sunshine and lollipops,’ even in the summertime.
For example, my kindergarten picnic was rained out, never to be rescheduled! My annual swimming lessons at the park were cancelled, almost every summer, due to thunderstorms or tornado warnings. And, IF my swimming lessons weren’t cancelled, you could find me backstroking in 38-degree weather while turning a very strange shade of blue. Many years later, my May wedding had to be moved indoors due to a forecast of 100% humidity which promised torrential rain and flooding! Once again, my sunny expectations were disappointed by stormy weather and most of all, my ‘lack of control’ over the good and bad circumstances in my daily life!
One of my Indiana summers brought much more than bad weather. I call it my ‘Summer of Discontent,’ but as a teenage girl, it was so much more. It was a cloudy August day, but for once the weather didn’t matter. I had made the coveted high school cheerleading team and could not wait to tell my mom! I ran home that day, pushed open the screen door and finally found my mom. But before I could share my news, she walked toward me, sobbing uncontrollably, with news of her own. She handed me a letter that I recognized as my dad’s handwriting. One hand-written page telling my mom, my sister and me that my dad was leaving our family. You see, there was another woman, another city, another lifestyle he wanted and bottom line, he wanted a quick divorce.
As you can imagine, the major losses from that one particular summer were life-changing. That summer stretched into a season of devastation, years of tears, and a loss of trust that only in recent years benefited from grief recovery actions. Have you ever experienced a time period of loss and emotional disappointments? Are you currently struggling through a season of major loss and devastation? When life circumstances are out of our control due to death, divorce or other losses, we want/need ‘some control’ back! As a Grief Recovery Specialist, I’m honored to facilitate an action process for many hurting people. The Grief Recovery Method allows grievers, just like it allowed me, to invest time and take action in order to move forward toward emotional freedom. It was through The Grief Recovery Method I experienced emotional recovery for my future. Ultimately it also gave me the passion to help others grieve their losses.
As summer approaches, I’m reminded of my mom and clichés she used years ago. She said, “Into each life some rain must fall!” and “Linda, life is no picnic, you know!” Her words still ring true for me today. We ALL experience disappointment, lost hopes and dreams, but taking action toward grief recovery gives us some control over the rain at the picnic.
Wishing you a super summer!
For example, my kindergarten picnic was rained out, never to be rescheduled! My annual swimming lessons at the park were cancelled, almost every summer, due to thunderstorms or tornado warnings. And, IF my swimming lessons weren’t cancelled, you could find me backstroking in 38-degree weather while turning a very strange shade of blue. Many years later, my May wedding had to be moved indoors due to a forecast of 100% humidity which promised torrential rain and flooding! Once again, my sunny expectations were disappointed by stormy weather and most of all, my ‘lack of control’ over the good and bad circumstances in my daily life!
One of my Indiana summers brought much more than bad weather. I call it my ‘Summer of Discontent,’ but as a teenage girl, it was so much more. It was a cloudy August day, but for once the weather didn’t matter. I had made the coveted high school cheerleading team and could not wait to tell my mom! I ran home that day, pushed open the screen door and finally found my mom. But before I could share my news, she walked toward me, sobbing uncontrollably, with news of her own. She handed me a letter that I recognized as my dad’s handwriting. One hand-written page telling my mom, my sister and me that my dad was leaving our family. You see, there was another woman, another city, another lifestyle he wanted and bottom line, he wanted a quick divorce.
As you can imagine, the major losses from that one particular summer were life-changing. That summer stretched into a season of devastation, years of tears, and a loss of trust that only in recent years benefited from grief recovery actions. Have you ever experienced a time period of loss and emotional disappointments? Are you currently struggling through a season of major loss and devastation? When life circumstances are out of our control due to death, divorce or other losses, we want/need ‘some control’ back! As a Grief Recovery Specialist, I’m honored to facilitate an action process for many hurting people. The Grief Recovery Method allows grievers, just like it allowed me, to invest time and take action in order to move forward toward emotional freedom. It was through The Grief Recovery Method I experienced emotional recovery for my future. Ultimately it also gave me the passion to help others grieve their losses.
As summer approaches, I’m reminded of my mom and clichés she used years ago. She said, “Into each life some rain must fall!” and “Linda, life is no picnic, you know!” Her words still ring true for me today. We ALL experience disappointment, lost hopes and dreams, but taking action toward grief recovery gives us some control over the rain at the picnic.
Wishing you a super summer!

Linda McLaughlin May
Certified Grief Recovery Specialist
LindaMc4004@gmail.com
The Grief & Wellness Group, Inc.
Linda brings her 'passion for people,' as well as a desire to see lives changed to The Grief and Wellness Group. After 30 years in business, including marketing and radio, Linda's personal Grief Recovery journey led her to take a career shift, in order to help people take necessary action to recover from their loss. Whether you choose an Outreach Group or One-On-One sessions, Linda says, "Don't delay; I want to meet you personally; Let's get started!"
Certified Grief Recovery Specialist
LindaMc4004@gmail.com
The Grief & Wellness Group, Inc.
Linda brings her 'passion for people,' as well as a desire to see lives changed to The Grief and Wellness Group. After 30 years in business, including marketing and radio, Linda's personal Grief Recovery journey led her to take a career shift, in order to help people take necessary action to recover from their loss. Whether you choose an Outreach Group or One-On-One sessions, Linda says, "Don't delay; I want to meet you personally; Let's get started!"