Constructing a New Normal Dealing Effectively with Losses Throughout Life

Finding grace, courage, and hope after loss...

A broken arm, a lost rosary, a missing child, an unforeseen pilgrimage, advancing years, the death of a spouse...these are just a few of the losses that can catapult us into chaos until we find a way to reclaim or transition to a normal life. It can come in the small, seemingly ordinary moments when we suddenly, or gradually, become aware of God’s presence. It can come in the sound of rain that ends a drought, the voice of someone we love, a hug of a child, or the near- ness of an animal companion. It can come in a shared meal or a quiet cup of tea.

In society, including the society of organized religion, working for normalcy means working for justice, inclusiveness, reconciliation, and restoration. Helen Lambin doesn’'t mince words when it comes to her passion. She addresses all these issues with grace, courage, tongue-in- cheek humor, and a love for the riches of language and the power of metaphor.

With wisdom born from her bumps and bruises, she knows what it means to “start slowly and increase the range.” And she knows what it means to live life to the fullest, wherever we may be in grief and transition. If you don’t know Helen personally when you open this book, you will soon feel that you and she are the kind of friends who can share fears, failings, faith, dreams, and an ordinary grace-filled life.

Helen Reichert Lambin grew up in Iowa, which will always be a part of her, but has lived in the Second City for decades. It was here that she met her beloved husband, Henry Lambin, now deceased, the inspiration for the book, Death of a Husband. She has been wife, mother of three (Joe. Rosemary, and Jeanne), mother-in-law or almost (Suzette, Skip and Scott), and grandmother of one, Jessica. She has also been pet companion, and writer (all willingly), worker (willingly and otherwise), and widow (very unwillingly). The worker part has included secretarial, copywriter, casework, program coordinator/event planner, and occasional film extra. Her writings have centered on loss and transition during times of difficulty and change. This is probably because she would like to find some salvage value in experiences she’d much rather not have. Currently, while working at recovering from a badly broken arm and subsequent surgery, she rather crossly asks what she is supposed to learn from this mess—and would prefer easier ways to learn whatever it is. She hasn'’t written about this— yet —because writing is, alas, physically challenging right now. When life is more normal, ordinary, and delightfully dull, she likes to garden, read, knit, travel, learn bits of languages—and write. In addition to Death of a Husband, Helen is the author of short articles on transition and loss, baseball, and travel, and the books From Grief to Grace and Prayers for Sleepless Nights. And she spends a lot of time awake.