"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul" ...a framed print on my desk that I look at many times each day. A simple phrase on a note card bought at a convent I visited with my lifelong friend while on a "road trip" following my husband’s death. The peaceful natural surroundings of a large campus overlooking the Hudson River that included a labyrinth to silently walk, a lovely "meditation hut" built of fallen limbs, and abundant wildlife to observe was a "gift" to me.

Family, old friends, and familiar places provided a sense of "grounding" ...of shared experiences, dreams and aspirations. Symbolism became a way to choose to interpret bluejays, beaches, boats, and even food as a positive connection to people already lost to death, as well as those who remain in the circle of life who became even more appreciated.

That experience gave me the ability to realize, on a daily basis, that there is a concept of being grateful for all that life gives me, and that...