Welcome 2026! The winter holidays have come and gone, and as is my tradition, I’m basking in my annual winter retreat, dreaming into the future. What themes, activities, challenges, goals, or celebrations will 2026 bring forth? One of my aspirations is to continue bringing Further Shore news to readers in an uplifting and supportive way and offer a companion program for each season. This year’s newsletters will provide guidance about living well around the Celtic Wheel, and include sections on Soothing Sweets and Graceful Grief. Kicking off the season, is Imbolc on February 1st. It’s time to sprout seedlings that will eventually be planted as the earth warms and softens. Whether our seedlings are ontological (intentions, goals, ideas) or literal (flowers, herbs, food), now is the time to dream up our gardens. February 2nd is Groundhog day, where sleepy groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, is rousted from slumber to predict spring’s arrival. All in all, Imbolc offers a time for reflection on hopes and dreams; an invitation to let go of repeating patterns that no longer serve; and to find ways to express loving kindness.
Seasonal Themes and Nuances
Dreaming, planning – The days are slowly getting longer in the northern hemisphere, but winter winds, snow, and ice remain in some areas until the vernal equinox and beyond. Chilly weather can make for winter boredom or frustration, so remember that time inside can be just great for dreaming, envisioning, and drawing up plans to actualize desires and goals for warmer days ahead. One way to bring ideas into form, is to grab some glue and scissors to create a vision board.
Repeating Patterns – While dreaming our desires and goals for the year, it makes sense to reflect on letting go of unhealthy patterns that might get in the way achieving success. The movie, Groundhog’s Day, starring Bill Murray, is truly a reminder to live fully in each moment and to let go of old patterns that do not serve the highest expression of who we are willing to be. It is a silly, fun movie about a seriously ill-behaved lead character who finds redemption in letting go of bad habits. Breaking behavioral patterns that cause personal distress is hard work requiring both fortitude and courage. We can do hard things!
Loving Kindness – The retail world places a lot of stock in Valentine’s Day hearts, chocolates, and flowers. But not everyone has a sweetheart. Folks who are widowed, divorced, or not in relationship may experience loneliness, resentment, or sadness during this season of love. Icy wind, snowy streets, and lack of sunshine can also contribute to winter doldrums. Consider reaching out with a gesture of loving kindness to friends who are solo. Offer to share a walk, a cup of tea, or a meal. Drop off a card, some flowers, or a homemade treat. Loving kindness is contagious.
Soothing Sweets for the Season
Further Shore has hosted Death Cafés for hundreds of participants where we gather to discuss death, while enjoying a cuppa alongside a sweet treat. Death Café originated in England where tea and cakes were preferred. As we continue to honor Wayne’s legacy, and in the spirit of Death Café, this year’s newsletter will offer recipes for soothing sweets from the Food Doctor and Friends cookbook. This vegan Chocolate Cake gets rave reviews. Make it gluten free by using your favorite GF flour and add 3 tsp xanthan gum. Delicious!
- 3 cups flour
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup oil
- 2 cups water (or iced coffee)
- 4 tsp. amaretto
- 4 tsp. vinegar
Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients except vinegar. Add vinegar. Pour into two 9” round pans, lightly oiled. Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool and turn cake out onto serving plate. Spread a layer of raspberry preserves in between layers. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.
Graceful Grief
Further Shore was founded in the autumn of 2005 with the mission to provide resources and education for living well and dying with dignity. Through the years our work has been primarily supportive for people faced with medical and/or ontological end-of-life concerns. Our Bridging the Gap program has helped our clients and their caregivers to navigate challenging medical diagnoses, treatment protocols, caregiving choices, discomfort with transitions including mortality, hospice care options, and other end-of-life concerns. An abiding theme when faced with catastrophic illness, the dying process, and the eventuality of death, is grief. For 2026, this section of the newsletter invites a reflection on the many faces of grief.
While our cultural tendency is to think of grief as a response to the death of a loved one, it is also true that grief is a universal and natural response to losing things that define, sustain, or bring comfort to our lives (i.e. job, relationships, health, financial or legal well-being, safety, self-esteem, dreams, goals, a sense of agency or freedom). This series will explore the multifaceted aspects of grief, and various ways grief can influence life’s relationships, experiences, and choices. The goal is to help readers discover grace and resilience within the more challenging aspects of the grieving process. Let’s begin with Anticipatory Grief. Grab your journal or sit down with a friend to talk about these concepts. See below for details about Graceful Grief, a virtual companion program to this writing.
Anticipatory Grief is grief that occurs before loss. It can be felt in a variety of circumstances and is different than grief after loss because there is a feeling of “being in between” or “waiting for the other shoe to drop”. It can last for a long time. Neither anticipatory grief nor grief that occurs after loss has a set timetable or predictability, but anticipatory grief may offer more emotional peaks and valleys, feelings such as loss of control, helplessness, resentment, and other grief responses. Because of its abiding nature and unpredictability, it can feel worse than grief that occurs after loss. It does not necessarily change or make easier the grief that is felt after loss or death occurs.
Signs and Symptoms
- Tearfulness, sadness, sorrow, woe; small things can trigger tears; anger, frustration, irritability, often accompanied by a feeling of helplessness; worrying or a continual feeling of intense concern about the anticipated loss; fear of the way things will be due to a loss of any kind.
- Physical/Mental symptoms include insomnia, weight gain/loss, increased pain, heart palpitations, giving in to addictions, loss of memory, difficulty in decision making, depression, confusion, obsessively researching the situation or patient symptoms.
- Feelings of loneliness or isolation due to the fear that expressing grief before loss will result in judgment or unhelpful feedback (i.e. “You’re giving up hope”, “You’re not being positive”, “It might not even happen, so why be sad now?” etc.). Feeling or thinking that others do not, will not, or cannot understand associated feelings, needs, or behaviors when experiencing anticipatory grief. A desire to talk to others in a safe, nonjudgmental space to discuss feelings and needs.
Coping and Healing
- Remember there is no “right” way to move through anticipatory grief or grief that occurs after loss; practice self-love and self-acceptance when experiencing grief
- Find ways to express anticipatory grief feelings in tangible ways (i.e. ceremony, art projects, talking circles, journaling, etc.)
- Physical self-care (i.e. healing touch, rest, sunshine, water, exercise)
- Consider counseling support (individual or in group); spiritual or faith-based support
Finding Grace
When it is happening, anticipatory grief can offer an opportunity for reconciliation and healing. In caregiving situations, this kind of grief can open doorways for direct and intimate sharing of memories and a patient’s legacy. Recognizing and embracing that we are in a state of anticipatory grief can teach us how to create and maintain healthy boundaries. It invites courage, strength, compassion, empathy, and wisdom; it can heal and deepen relationships with our selves and with others. It reminds us that each day, even each moment, is a gift while opening a space for self-care, kindness, forgiveness, gratitude, and grace.
Anticipatory Grief Prompts
Am I experiencing anticipatory grief now? If so, what is the situation? How long has it been happening? What are the symptoms, if any? Am I feeling fearful about the anticipated loss? If yes, are there specific aspects to the fear? How can I meet and/or cope with this fear in a healthy way? Am I willing to face the loss fully, deeply? If yes, who are my helpers and allies while doing so? In what ways am I taking care of myself during this time? Do I need some form of additional support? Is there something about this experience I’m grateful for, or that feels like a gift or grace?
Graceful Grief – this virtual program is open to those who are interested in deepening the grief experience to find more grace and peace. During each season, I will offer a virtual workshop to include grief education, coping strategies, meditation, and dialogue for shared empathy and healing. This season’s topic is Anticipatory Grief. It will be held Friday, February 27, 2026, from 3:00-4:30 p.m. (MST) on the Zoom platform. Space limited to 10 participants. Registration required by February 20, 2026, via emailing aleia@furthershore.org to secure your place. Freely offered; donations to Further Shore are appreciated.
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On the Blog: The latest post in the Long Covid Series is Covid Confusion; “X” is for Crossing parts 1,2, and 3 are available in the ABC’s for Living Well.
Quotes for Season: “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.” ~ Hal Borland, Journalist
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” ~ John Steinbeck, American Author
May all beings be safe, well, happy, and content.