BOOKS

In Carol Weston's newest novel, The Speed of Life, GL's own Dear Carol writes about a tough topic that some of you reading this may be familiar with: losing a loved one. The novel follows 14-year-old Sofia eight months after her mom’s death as she tries to come to terms with the loss, open up to those around her and rediscover the beauty in her life. 

As anyone who has experienced a situation similar to Sofia’s knows, grief is one of the toughest emotions to deal with. While everyone experiences it differently, there are a few tried and true ways to get through it. Here are a few remedies that Sofia tries that may help you if you have lost a loved one, or if someone you know who has.

One way that Sofia finds comfort after losing her mom is through writing to the fictional teen magazine Fifteen’s advice columnist, Dear Kate. Kate is the calm, perceptive and patient listener that Sofia needs at that moment. So if you’ve experienced a loss, try following suit by seeking out someone who you trust to talk to. It could be a relative, friend or trusted adult in your life. Another good option is finding a professional therapist who can give you strategies to cope with your loss.

The reason that Sofia decides to write to Dear Kate? She realizes that she "can’t recharge like a cellphone." Essentially, she comes to the realization that you don’t have to go on like nothing’s wrong, and that's one of the most important steps in grieving: knowing that sometimes everything isn’t okay. It’s healthy to acknowledge that like Sofia does.

Another thing Sofia does to deal with her loss? She leans on her BFF. Talking about good memories of the person you lost with someone who knew them can be a great way to cope. It’s OK—actually, it's great—to reminisce about all the good times you had with the person you lost.

Talking in general is just a great way to deal. That's something Sofia must do when she discovers that her dad is beginning to date again. By talking it out, Sofia realizes that everyone deals with loss in their own way and just because her dad starts dating again, that doesn’t mean he’s forgotten about her mom altogether. 

Because, as Carol writes, “Sofia thinks that her life is over, but it’s really just the beginning.”

Speed of Life is available HERE.

Have you experienced a loss in your life? How did you deal with it? Share in the comments below.

by Emily Cavanagh | 4/10/2017