At first, all we had were family and friends: the ones you turned to no matter what, any time of the day or night, to help make everything alright. Some of us have never recovered from personal loss, but have undoubtedly learned to cope.

The thing about grief is that, like love, it is personal and universal at the same time. At times like these, support from others who have been in similar situations helps tremendously, which is precisely why the Internet comes in here like a Godsend.

Grief is, in a nutshell, an intense emotion felt when one experiences a significant loss. It comes not alone, but with shock, anger, denial, hurt, and depression in tow. According to experts, one of the main reasons for our inability to deal with it is our lack of any preparation. Then again, how can one prepare for what has yet to arrive?

The Grief and Loss Resource Centre offers links to information on grief, reasons and various aspects involved, books on the subject, how to get through, finding support groups, courses, counselling centres and more.

Shock is what an aggrieved person feels, initially, followed by other stages like depression, isolation, etc. Mother Oaks has a list of these ten phases, along with a brief summary on how each leads to another.

Passing through these stages and then recovering is a lengthy process, varying from individual to individual. The healing can be hastened, however, given the right kind of environment. Hospice Net has valuable suggestions including sunsets, nature walks, meditation, and relaxation.

Coping with grief alone is always difficult, which is why sharing it is so highly recommended. Grief Share is an online support group that puts forth structured recovery programmes. One can either join existing groups or start a new one. The site also boasts experts who share their experiences and advice.

Death is the most common reason for heartache. Building memorials is therefore, in this sense, therapeutic. Memorials Online helps you create one for a loved one. It also has newspaper resources, sympathy e-cards, and other services.

Another thing about grief: it isn't gender or age specific. Hospice Net has tips on handling trauma for children and teenagers - important because studies show that the risk of not making it through is highest among these groups.

Losing a pet can also be traumatic, especially for children. In Memory of Pets is a non-profit organisation that helps you create a Web site in its memory.

Finally, we should never look upon grief as a negative emotion. It has, in fact, been a source of inspiration for several writers and poets through the ages. The thing to do, then, is turn it into an advantage. After all, like T. S. Eliot once wrote, "The end is where we start from."



Additional Resources:
 --Web MD - Interesting overview on what grief is and how people usually react to it.
 --Final Thoughts - Share your grief with others.
 --I5ive - Links to sites that help you cope with grief.
 --RediffSearch - Ecards on grief.