ABSTRACT
Most of us experience losses during our lives. Perhaps we even experience relatively minor, ephemeral losses on a daily basis. We might not get the grade we had hoped for on a certain exam, or perhaps a friend rebuffed us at a social event. Usually, upon reflection, we decide that these losses are relatively minor in our lives. We can usually tell someone what major losses we have experienced in life: for instance the death of a sibling, the loss of a romantic relationship, a severe illness experienced by a close friend, and the loss of self-esteem due to harassment at work. These are just a few "major" losses we could mention. Why are they considered major? Perhaps it is because these losses have never really "left" our consciousness. Perhaps we think about them daily; maybe we could, and do, even talk about them at a moment's notice. Maybe they have changed us, for better or worse—but they have greatly affected our lives. Although we may not necessarily have control over whether these loss events occur, we can control how we respond to them.
