The announcement came through the scratchy intercom; “Those who are in Section 3 may now board the aircraft.” Section 3 – it was finally my turn.

I took out my passport and the slip of paper which I assumed was my boarding pass. I was mistaken, however, and was holding the receipt for my luggage.

“Where IS my boarding pass?” I mumbled to myself and began to panic. I searched my pockets; I looked in my backpack; “What? Where did I put it?” I thought, “Great, I’m going to have to explain this to the person at the desk in front of everybody.”

As I neared the ticket agent, I opened my passport and there it was – my boarding pass! I had forgotten that I had folded it in half and tucked it away neatly at the back of the passport.

Unfortunately, you can’t pack away grief quite that easily. You can’t fold it over and tuck it away out of sight.

Grief needs to be unfolded. It needs to be found. It has your name and seat number on it and you are the only one who can ultimately find it and get on board.

You alone must choose to start the journey of mourning.

Written by Rick Bergh, bereavement educator.