After 45 years of marriage, Ethel’s husband died. Though she did not bypass the grieving process, Ethel does manage to control her emotions. She explains: “I keep myself busy doing things for others. For example, I enjoy teaching others about God’s purposes as found in the Bible. One young lady was so happy about the good things she was learning that her appreciation helped me to be more joyful. As I concentrate on the positive things in the Bible in order to teach others, it helps to force out negative thoughts in my mind. Too, younger women will come to me for help with various problems, and talking about the positive things they can do in their lives also helps me to overcome negative emotions.”

Following a series of crises, including the death of her husband, Nita understandably experienced severe sadness and depression. In time she learned to control those feelings: “When a feeling of sadness comes over me, I seek a constructive outlet. I force myself to take a walk, call a kind friend, listen to music, or do anything that I know from experience will ease the depression. I try to treat myself compassionately just as I would a good friend.”