Grief is a process that many of us will unfortunately face in our lives, one that requires patience to fully understand. To help aid in that understanding, Park Rapids’ own Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning recently held a special presentation titled “Hugs Help” with author Randy Stocker to discuss the grieving process.

“I was invited up here just to educate people on understanding grief for the griever, the comforter and the friend,” explained Stocker.

This event sought to make grief a subject that could be discussed more comfortably, as grief itself has become a large part of many people’s lives.

“If you talk to any person, pretty much on the planet, you’ll discover that they’re struggling with something,” said Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning board member Jennifer Wills Geraedts. “The group that we tend to draw for these presentations, a lot of them are older people and a lot of them have dealt with grief and loss.”

By far one of the biggest takeaways from this presentation was how grief takes many forms to everyone who experiences it.

“It’s real important to understand that everyone grieves differently because everyone learns differently,” said Stocker.

This event gave several pieces of practical advice for those wanting to help loved ones through the grieving process, including a warning to steer clear of cliched language.

Stocker also shared his personal experiences with grief after the loss of several family members, which ultimately led him to write and educate others on the process.

“It’s hard to share my stories,” said Stocker. “But it is so rewarding when people come up afterwards and say, ‘Hey, I learned a lot from you.'”

Stocker has recently published a book which details his personal experiences with grief. More information on his work can be found here.

By — Justin Othoudt