Turning Grief Into Holiday Grace: A Book and Ornament Offer Comfort
Ken Rohlf found a new way to honor his late wife, Sherri. It arrived in the form of a book and a Christmas ornament, both inspired by their bittersweet journey through grief.
Dec. 25 is a particularly mournful occasion, a stark reminder of the loves ones they’ve lost. But Rohlf’s family embraces this day with heartfelt resilience through an annual shift in celebration. They gather weeks beforehand, converging at their cabin for food, laughter, and a rekindled spirit steeped in remembrance. “The holidays are this difficult time. Our society wants everything to be perfect around the holidays but it’s also this time we take most, throughout the year, to think about people who are lost and gone. I think [ ‘Christmas Sun’ ] could also be read by adults to remember people,” said Rohlf.
This “Christmas Sun” ornament is meant to memorialize loved ones who are no longer with us. (Provided)
A Story Born from Love
Sherri, a devoted book lover, had imbued the family gatherings with a sense of warmth and joy she ventured to replicate by contributing significantly to her local community. As a testament to her life and legacy, a foundation established in her memory annually gifts a book to every first-grader in Eagan.
It made sense to express these ideas in a book — Rohlf’s first, though he has since written two others he hopes to publish — because Sherri had been a book lover. In fact, for her memorial, the family received more than $37,000 in gifts that they turned over to the Eagan Rotary, of which Sherri had been a member.
His self-published book “Christmas Sun” explores the experience of grief through a comforting and hopeful lens, reminding readers that their loved ones’ presence lives on in the glow of cherished memories.
Acompanion to the book is a small, delicate ornament designed to evoke a sense of calm and connection during the holiday season.
Sharing the Legacy of Love
Rohlf hopes “Christmas Sun” will become a tradition for families navigating the complex emotions that often accompany the holiday season. His vision is for readers — both young and old — to keep the book and ornament in a special box, drawing them out each December to reignite the flame of remembrance and celebrate the enduring bond with those who are no longer present.
Rohlf streamlined the publishing process by self-publishing, making the book and ornament accessible online through his website,divers retailers, and local bookstores. “I’m hoping to get it in some local stores,” said Rohlf. “There are a lot of people who might appreciate it, especially losing someone during the holidays”
A Mysterious Gesture From Above
Rohlf shared an experience that touched him deeply. On a blustery day last spring during a visit to Sherri’s mausoleum, a strange and comforting sensation washed over him. “I kind of felt this warmth coming on my shoulders,” Rohlf said with a quiet touch of wonder. “It was one of those weird things you remember. It felt like Sherri.
He looked up, and a beam of sunlight was shining directly on him, sun at the center of that sky, coming just down on where I was standing. And I thought, ‘Sherri, is that you?
“‘It could have been a coincidence, Rohlf said, his voice gentle, “but I think she probably would be very proud that we did this. ”
The book and ornament, he hopes,
will serve as reminders of that eternal thread of connection, offering solace and comfort to those grappling with loss during the holiday season.
