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Detroit Religion and Spirituality Transitions & Grief Examiner
Transitions & Grief Examiner

Celebrities honor and share grief in an exemplary way

June 15, 10:20 PMTransitions & Grief ExaminerMaria Hoaglund
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Word came out a few weeks ago that the grieving star John Travolta had to leave Denzel Washington as they were starting the media promotion for their new movie The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. This is because John was "still struggling to cope" with the death of his son Jett. The Grease star's 16-year-old son died in January of this year after suffering a seizure while on a family vacation in the Bahamas. Five months later, Travolta is still devastated by the tragedy, often expressing his grief through tears; and he decided not to help promote the upcoming remake of the classic 1970s thiller while still actively grieving.

Denzel Washington took the time to speak with his co-star over the phone. Washington apparently shared that "One moment he's (John's) OK and the next he's in tears... Needless to say, he's struggling. So more than talking to him, I listened to him, for about two or three hours. ... What can you say, really? Just be there as a friend, because he's such a sweet, sweet person. Our prayers are with him and his wife."

These words of wisdom and friendship from Denzel are wonderful. I'm struck by the graciousness of the friends and colleagues of John's who are acknowledging that he's grieving and offering him and his family the space they need at this time. It is so important to allow the space for grief and to let the emotions flow. And how special that John can share his emotions with others so openly. We need to allow people to cry, grieve, and openly release our emotions, especially the men who often tend to hide their vulnerable, sad side of their feelings.

Even though in our culture we tend to feel that people should hurry up and "get over" their grief, the reality is that grief takes it own sweet time. Usually, the first year is a tremendous challenge for those who have been very close to the person. If we've lived with a loved one for years, it's going to take time -- sometimes years -- to get used to living without them. Please have a look at my grief pointers and articles (below) for more.

Thank you, Denzel and John, for sharing your courage and wisdom openly with us. You are a shining example for the men of our nation and the world. Our blessings and prayers go out to you, John, and the entire Travolta family, as you deal with and work through your grief and loss of your beloved son Jett. In deep appreciation and compassion, Dancing heart~~~

If you're interested in Body-Mind-Spirit Tools for Healing, see Dancing Heart's website's Link Page.

And if you enjoyed this article, you may be interested in taking a look at:

Linda Fleming's death: An experiment in conscious dying?

Wayman Tisdale died today... Or did he, really?!?

How shall we deal with grief in tumultuous times? (Part 1)

How shall we deal with grief in tumultuous times? (Part 2)

Koko's blues soul lives on -- in more ways than one

'All Soul's Day'

The often unspoken connection between diet and cancer/fungus

Dealing with cancer in the body-mind-spirit way: Re-emerging ancient tools for healing & relaxation

The magical essence of frankincense, and other essential oils (Part 1)

The magical essence of frankincense, and other essential oils (Part 2)

Do one thing that scares you every day: Acupuncture

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