Newspaper Article About Our Book

This article was printed in the Sept 27th issue of the Virginian-Pilot newspaper's Beacon section, Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Copyright (c) 2009, The Virginian-Pilot. Reprinted with permission.

IN MEMORY OF ARIANNA

FAMILY’S PAIN FINDS ITS VOICE IN BOOK ON GRIEF

By Sandra J. Pennecke Correspondent

After Andrea and Craig Harris suddenly lost their 6-year-old daughter, Arianna Rose, in 2003, their grief took them on an unimaginable journey to help others. The couple and their now 15-year-old daughter, Marisa, were blessed to have the kindness and compassion of family, friends and even strangers come to their side when Arianna died from Group A Strep. But people often had no idea what to say to the family, said Tina Erwin, Andrea’s older sister, a retired Naval Officer who is well versed in the study of metaphysics “All of these people wanted to help, but were clueless,” Erwin said. Erwin traveled from California to console the family – and everyone else, too – and conceived the idea for a book. “In the process of grieving this adorable child, we learned just how many other parents are grieving,” Erwin said. “We learned that, in truth, everyone is grieving someone or something,” wrote Erwin in the introduction to her book, “The Lightworker’s Guide to Healing Grief” published by ARE Press and released in May. After six years of writing, revising and scrutinizing the manuscript word for word with her sister via phone, the 220-page tool book was finally completed. “It’s an important book to us,” said Andrea Harris, of Cypress Point. “It’s not a light read. Anyone can pick it up and learn something through it.” Arianna was the catalyst for the book, but it’s not about her, Harris said. The book includes chapters on death, grief concepts, tools and healing, stages of grieving, understanding and assisting various types of grief and much more. Throughout the book there are compassionate words to say, practical actions to take and deeper insights to help guide the reader, as well as friends, neighbors or co-workers grieving a death, divorce, injury, property loss, etc. Erwin said death and grieving are the elephants in the room no one wants to talk about. “We are populated with kind people who want to help,” Erwin said. “They just need to know how.” Arianna will always be in her family’s hearts, Erwin said. “We feel she’s smiling because we are helping other people,” Erwin said, “and we’re good with that.” The Harris family surrounds themselves with photographs of Arianna and wonderful memories. “She was always considerate of others,” said Andrea Harris, “I like to think of her in the heaven world helping others.” With “The Lightworker’s Guide to Healing Grief,” now on bookshelves, Arianna will surely do that for years to come, said her mother. “We want people to know that whenever they think they’re alone in their grief, they’re not,” Harris said. Sandra J. Pennecke, pennecke@cox.net

SANDRA J. PENNECKE Andrea Harris holds a copy of her sister’s book, “The Lightworker’s Guide to Healing Grief,” written by her sister, Tina Erwin. Craig Harris, with daughter Marisa, holds a photo of Arianna Rose.

Arianna Rose Harris died from Group A Strep in 2003. She was 6 years old.

Sharing the Book

Now that the book is finally out and is beginning to ship, the next phase has started, sharing the information through speaking engagements, radio and possibly television. In other words, grief is the elephant in the room no one wants to talk about. Each of you who has followed Light Times for the last ten years knows that the message is always about helping people understand what is happening to them. This new book, The Lightworker's Guide to Healing Grief, really specifically furthers that message. So, let me make the following offer:
• If anyone knows anyone with a radio show and they need to fill airtime, I am very happy to help fill that time! I can speak in broad terms about grieving and healing, or very specifically about helping in the work place or how to help a sad and lonely ghost to move on.
• If you work for a company and would like a talk about how to help an employee who has suffered a death in their family, or perhaps how to help the family of an employee who has died, I am delighted to speak to any group regarding this.
• I can address talking to children about loss through death, disaster, and divorce.
• If anyone would like to put together even a gathering of friends and neighbors, I would be happy to speak at this type of group.
• If you would like a few of the information cards about the book to share with friends, I can send you these. Many friends are sharing them with clients, friends and family members who may be going through a grieving situation.

Each of us can help. These tough situations are all around us and perhaps this new book will be a helpful tool to have in your back pocket, there when you need it. The minimum number of people to have at a group is at least 8-10, especially if I have to travel. At this point, there is no charge for a speaking engagement unless travel outside of San Diego is involved. Please feel free to use the form to the left of this space to fill in a request. The goal of this book is to help each of us to help, to do service. Thank you all so much for your support.

The Book

The Lightworker's Guide to Healing Grief will be available for purchase on 13 May 2009. After that time, on the blog, there will be a section to request a speaking engagement to a business, a group or simply a group of friends. The discussions can be on all types of grieving and there is no limit to the questions that can be posed. I really love to speak to all kinds of folks.
The more we are able to help people who are in pain, the more we can each help to heal the world. The book, the blog and each of you are critically important in this effort. For those of you who are able to purchase this book and use it to help, thank you with all of my heart. I am sad that my precious niece died, and yet I am also grateful for the experience of the exquisite pain of her passing. Without that first hand experience, there is no way I could have written this book.
I am also grateful to my sister and her family for their sacrifice in this effort. We are here for service, and sometimes that service means that we have to walk the path of pain before we can understand how to help someone else.
Thank you to all of you who have supported me, shared your stories and been my friend. Truly, now, our journey is just beginning.

Book Release Date

Dear Friends,
I have just returned from Virginia Beach. I will return to Virginia Beach on the 19th of May to finally launch the book, which will be available for purchase on the 13th of May! This is really exciting. At that point, the long journey to get this book published will enter a new phase: launching and sharing.