The is the second part of a series that was previously published in a local paper. I've lightly edited it for this platform; again, although it reflects my Quaker approach to chaplaincy, this isn't explicitly "Quaker." Any thoughts or feedback would be welcome.

Job was a righteous man who lost almost everything: his children, his flocks, and his health. And he was angry about it. He wasn't angry at any particular person, not the bandits who made off with his flocks, not with his…

The following is something I published in the local paper; as such, it's not explicitly Quaker, but reflects my Quaker perspective. There's more to come, feedback is welcome.  

Everyone experiences loss at some point in their lives. Death is the largest loss: whether facing our own mortality, or dealing with the passing of a loved one, it is a life-altering experience. But we face many kinds of losses in all parts of our lives, such as the loss of a job, or of a relationship.…

The chaplain is not here to tell you that everything will be okay. 

In the long run, maybe. But we get to that "long run" faster when we're willing to be in the moment, even when it's unpleasant. 

I still think the best Biblical advice for helping people cope with loss is found in the book of Job, chapter two, verse thirteen: "They sat with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw…