The Aroma of Thawing

Life's challenges, especially loss, can create deep wounds in heart and soul and can be very difficult to face without the help of a caring partner, close friends, and/or family. Sometimes these too are not enough. Nature has a way of caring for what is injured in ways that are unimaginable. And sometimes careful words and uplifting thoughts shared within poetry can help just as significantly. To help overcome heartbreak and the sadness of loss over time, peace and comfort can come from different sources, all of which are critical in helping to mend the trauma that's been inflicted. And ultimately an appreciation for life's richness and goodness can be realized again. At this time more than any other, someone else's experiences with loss and heartbreak can help the healing process move along that much faster. Clearly, all of these steps are vital and can occur without ever forgetting the loved one who's left our world. The Aroma of Thawing is a collection of SR Inciardi's poetry focused on the difficult experience of losing a beloved son, married with two young children, and how a tragic situation (or any situation involving loss, remorse, regret, or betrayal) might be overcome with the help of friends, family, and especially the natural world. When we emerge from winter, there is eventually a thawing permitting things to fade away and then remade, enabling robust life to resurface. When the winter finally yields to spring, there is a certain aroma in the air, the thawing water decomposes the leaves and all kinds of organic matter to produce a distinct aroma---evidence of life's resurgence---saying clearly that a change is in the air and, in the end, things will get better even while they can never be the same.