Dear Editor,
Re: “Schools closed for the Queen? Really?” Editor’s Column, Sept. 15.
I was saddened to read your opinion column because, in order to support the anti-monarchy (and thus anti-day-off-school) thesis of your column, you chose to belittle the act of mourning. “A day off to mourn the passing of Queen Elizabeth? Really?” was the column’s irreverent opening line.
It’s never been more important for people — young and old — in our society to see the grief process modelled. Openly. By many.
The grief process is unpleasant, it requires connectedness, and it should not be skipped or done in shame.
With the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, may we benefit from witnessing exemplars of decorum and reverence, and from pausing to acknowledge that it’s okay to feel a sense of loss that needs to be processed whenever any figure in our lives dies.
May those behaviours be catching to all the parents and children who spent the day with each other on Monday because there was a day off school to mourn the passing of the most revered person in the world. Really.
Nancy Loo
RICHMOND
