“Grief cannot be shared. Everyone carries it alone. His own burden in his own way” (Lindbergh). Grieving the loss of a loved one can be the most emotionally draining time in a human being's life. Not only is it a time to say goodbye to those we hold dear, but it is also a time for change, change that is not seen as pleasant or accepted. This change continues in life without those we have lost. For the majority this experience is difficult, but most have the support and love of their family to get through it, but for others it can be a lonely or even impossible task. This experience will affect a person both emotionally and physically, but it is important to learn how to cope with pain, and that is when the job of a funeral director or contractor funeral service begins. Before a funeral director or undertaker can help with grief, they must understand it first. There are certain stages and different behaviors that people will exhibit while grieving. One of the first challenges facing a loss is the emotional and physical changes a grieving person will experience. A person will feel a wide range of emotions at this time and may even feel like they are losing their mind. As funeral home co-owner Jo Michaelson mentions in her book: “You [client] feel like you're on a turbulent roller coaster with all your emotional and physical ups and downs moving at an accelerating speed.” (Michaelson, 47). This is completely normal and an important step in the grieving process. Grieving is necessary for healing and for a person to understand and empathize with their emotions. This is also the time to organize thoughts. A person may not have rational thoughts at first and may need to express their grief just as much as the family does. They must remember not to let their sadness overwhelm them and interfere with their work, but also to show compassion to the family. Different behaviors, such as openly expressing sadness and anger, avoiding the situation, or even keeping emotions within, are all normal during times of grief. There is no normal or correct way to grieve. The job of funeral directors and undertakers is to help families move through their grief, no matter what stage they are in or how they are coping with loss. They're willing to do anything to make the situation better, whether it's helping with advice, running errands or chores around the house, or following through on a strange request. Whenever and wherever there is a death and a grieving family or individual, there is a funeral director or undertaker right next to them to guide them..