ABSTRACT
Loss is an inevitable part of the experience of being human. As humans we experience loss because we form attachments and because we develop satisfying expectations about our lives and our loved ones. When our expectations change, or our lives and loved ones change, we cling to expectations that no longer fit reality and we experience loss as a result. When attachments are severed or our expectations are dashed or never realized, the complex process of grieving sets in. Humans at every age have the capacity to experience loss and to grieve (Furman, 1974; Shapiro, 1994; Sullivan, 1972).
