By Ira Woods

Most of us look for a good book to read when we’re going through a traumatic life experience. Bereavement is no exception, but with this caveat: Individuals in the early stages of loss typically find themselves overwhelmed, disoriented, and incapable of focusing on anything that takes real concentration.

Bestselling author and bereavement expert, Ellen Sue Stern, understands how a short attention span prevents widows and widowers from making even the most simple decisions, such as what to have for dinner or whether to return a phone call, much less immersing themselves in a good book. Daily meditation books are the exception, which Stern has authored eight based on various profound life passages, including marriage, parenthood, divorce, chronic illness, as well as loss and healing, the focus of her most recent, I Will Not Forget You: Daily Meditations for Grieving Widows and Widowers, an updated, revised version of her classic, Living With Loss.

Daily meditations books are formatted with each page tackling one particular issue, just enough to take in without becoming overwhelmed. “The most common response I hear from widows and widowers, is that the book is helpful because of the ‘bite-sized pieces,” says Stern, explaining that each entry combines an inspirational quote with original commentary, and a relevant affirmation.

Topics include the most universal emotional trauma experienced, including sorrow, fear, anger, loneliness, disorientation, shifting from “we” to “me”, caring for grieving children, and how to best honor and memorialize one’s beloved. Like all of Stern’s work, the material is inclusive, the quotes drawing from literature, culture and a wide variety of spiritual sources. She goes out her way to reinforce that each person’s experience is unique, that there is no set time for grieving, and that ultimately, healing is enhanced by caring for ourselves. Concrete exercises are interspersed throughout the book: “Letters to My Love,” presents sample notes to compose to one’s late partner, and Survival Guides, gently encouraging readers to take care of themselves.

Now she has taken her mission one step further by making I Will Not Forget You available through a 365 page a day complimentary email campaign. “Especially in the early days and months of bereavement, everything takes energy, even ordering a book,” explains Stern, which has motivated her to partner with our online shop - OneWorld Memorials. 

Complimentary Page-a-Day Email for Customers and Website Visitors.

The moment I picked up I Will Not Forget You, I loved it. What impressed me was both the great content and the fact that each page stood independently. Having gone through grief from loss myself I knew this was a wonderful gift to offer our customers. At first I sold the book in our online shop, but after speaking with customers I was motivated to make it available to them at no cost. I felt this book was a great contribution towards helping people through the grief and healing process.

For those who register for the book, within a day an email arrives with a page from the book. The emails come sequentially taking them from Day 1 to Day 360. There’s no purchase necessary, just sign up and within days you will begin receiving free daily entries directly to your inbox.

Fans of Stern’s say they have been reading the book for years and have even handed it down to others in their friends and family. “I’m always looking for ways to make my work more accessible to as many readers as possible,” says Stern, who is also offering this program to funeral homes, hospice, grief support groups, and other end of life organizations.

Sign up for I Will Not Forget You is free and requires no purchase. The sign up form can be accessed at: I Will Not Forget You - an email a day grief support.

The paperback and kindle edition of the book is available on the book’s Amazon page.

Ira Woods is the founder and president of OneWorld Memorials. His inspiration behind the business comes from the experience of having lost his spouse to cancer and searching for bereavement products online.