Validation at last!

I just found a powerful and very helpful book on loss and grieving.
It's called Transcending Loss: Understanding the Lifelong Impact of Grief by Ashley Davis Bush. It's the first book I have read on grief [other than the metaphysical books that I have read] that addresses grief as an ongoing lifelong process that has stages, and changes you forever. It does not talk about "closure". I have been saying for two years now that there is no closure, there is evolving. That this grief thing makes you a different person, for better or worse, and grief is a part of you from here on out.
That is not to say that you can't evolve and be productive but you never go back to who you were before your loss.
I recommend this book to anyone who is grieving or knows someone who is. There is more information on her web site.