The challenges of talking about Death when you are young



When I was in my early 20's my young sister died.  People are not meant to die when they are 15.  I though only old people died.  It was incredibly difficult to talk to my friends about this.  They didn't know what to say to me.  Some avoided me and some drifted away and I lost several friends at that time.  Looking back on it, I think it was because they couldn't think what to say, so it was easier to avoid me.  

Having spoken to some others who lost family when they were young, I don't think my story is unusual.  I feel it is less frightening, as you get older, to raise the subject of death and many of us will already know people who died.  

Grief is a very lonely place, but when you are young you are unlikely to have the life experience to draw on to cope, to seek help.  

I'm interested in other people experiences of loosing some-one when they were young as I'd like to run some death cafes at Colleges/Universities and perhaps even a school?  I'd like to hear your thoughts.  

Anne (anne@fuzeceremonies.co.uk)