Grief for many is a unique journey full of twists and turns.

The death of a loved one can shake one’s foundation and impact both mind and body. From waves of sadness and nostalgia; preoccupation with memories; and difficulty accepting the finality of a loss creates a layered trek to finding days that are more bearable.

In July, La Mesa resident Janet Prahl published her novel “A Thought Away From Tears: A Love Story and My Pathway Through Grief,” in which she relives and grapples with the loss of her husband Bob. As she explained, grief is a process that transcends the physical, behavioral, cultural, and spiritual.

Prahl met her husband at a TGI Friday’s near San Diego State University, where she attended after graduating from Helix High School in 1960. They then re-met 17 years later and purchased a home together in La Mesa in 1981.

Through journal entries, personal mementos, and personal stories of others, Prahl found a pathway through her grief. These shared anecdotes and personal steps are outlined throughout her novel as a potential helpful process for others.

“Through the pain, finding activities that brought me joy and doing things that made me happy each day; as my moments of happiness became more and more frequent, I became adjusted to my new life (the lifting of sadness and healing came gradually); living in the present and not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future; getting out with friends; trying to wake up in the morning with a good attitude; having hope and gratitude; faith; accepting my situation, learning to live with it and moving on with my life one day at a time and one step at a time,” she said.

Most importantly, she shared, there are no rules or right way to work through grief. Instead, it is an individualized process. “I wrote my book to help guide those who struggle to understand the feelings and emotions that accompany grief, to provide hope and perhaps ease the pain,” Prahl explained.

When asked about advice for those grieving a loved one, Prahl offered the following excerpt from her book: “Like a butterfly, you will evolve from one stage of life to another. Through the pain, you will have become stronger and more independent. You will understand how to make yourself happy and how you want to live the rest of your life. Your life will take new directions. Although the pathway through grief is fraught with pitfalls and stumbling blocks and lots and lots of tears, you will have the opportunity to survive and thrive.”

Those interested in reading further and learning more about Prahl’s journey can find her book on Amazon at: https://amazon.com/Thought-Away-Tears-Pathway-Through/dp/B0DC4KH34V and Books-a-Million at: https://booksamillion.com/p/Thought-Away-from-Tears/Janet-Prahl/9798328227971.