Simon Chisholm Consulting

"Simon was our miracle baby. The baby that neither of us thought would be."

The Gift of Loss

The Gift of Loss is the story of a child whose life was nothing short of a miracle and whose death changed his family in profound and unexpected ways. With equal measure of heartbreaking detail and soul-affirming insight Paula Simon shares with us her journey into the joys and fears of motherhood; her descent into unspeakable anguish following the loss of her baby boy; and the brilliant gifts of hope, gratitude, and wisdom that she and her husband successfully salvaged from the depths of suffering. The Gift of Loss is a testament to the power of love, the resiliency of the human spirit and ultimately the story of a child whose short life inspired remarkable transformation in the lives of others.

About the author

Paula Simon has a Masters Degree in Social Work from Dalhousie University. She lives in Nova Scotia with her husband Robert and her daughter Jessie, where she is also a partner in Simon Chisholm Consulting. The Gift of Loss is her first book. It was born of an unyielding desire to tell the story of her son, Simon, in order to reach out to those who find themselves struggling to make sense of loss in their lives.

Testimonials

Paula and her husband are volunteer co-facilitators of the bereavement suport group at IWK. I call them the "embodiment of hope" for grieving parents. Paula's book is a resource IWK regularly recommends. So glad the second edition is avaliable. Thanks Paula. You are a treasure and a beacon of light for the broken hearts in search of healing.

Pam Beliveau

The death of a child at 8 months is a tragedy beyond comprehension. The grief threatens to destroy one’s very Soul….and yet….and yet…we can travel to this very dark place, stay there, and eventually come out of it with a renewed depth of the gift that is Life. I read The Gift of Loss in several hours. It’s full of raw emotion, authentic pain, looking death in the face, and looking grief in the face. Why would you want to read it then? Because it engages you in life, it engages you in the hells that life can present and after that if offers the heaven that life can also present. It overflows with humanity and the wisdom of experience. I highly recommend this book. It will nourish your Soul, it will give you the gift of humble, quiet, gratitude.

Martin Rutte Co-Author, Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work Founder, ProjectHeavenOnEarth.com

The author takes us through an intensely emotional and painful life event, seldom talked about, but experienced all too often. She shares in a deeply personal and moving way the impact of losing her child. The book brings hope and encouragement to those faced with a similar tragedy that it is possible to experience such a loss and go on to find meaning and purpose in life.

Karen Nelson, MSW, MBA Director, Social Work and Case Management Stanford Health Care

Paula has the ability to touch her audience with her raw energy. To have a positive outcome from such a human tragedy and then want to share this experience with others comes across in her speaking. She is the Gift.

Anne Murray, NSCC

Paula Simon has given all of us a gift by relating so beautifully her experience and by allowing us to share in both the tears the laughter that are so much a part of her story. I have recommended this book widely to those who work with families who are experiencing loss. My hope is that it can provide both comfort and inspiration where sometimes it can be difficult to find.

Anne McGuire

I was moved to tears at times and I believe strongly that this book will be of great support to those mothers and dads who are experiencing the death of a child. Simon will live on in the lives of all those who are helped by his en your story. Thank you for this gift.

Riet Vink

The Gift of Loss is a poignant chronicle of Paula Simon’s struggle to come to terms with the death of her infant son. This very personal story contains lessons of hope for everyone who has experienced a life-changing loss.

Brenda Wallace-Allen

Paula Simon’s little books a gem. Calling loss a “gift” puts a completely new spin on the word and no matter what loss the reader might have suffered, I think the reader can relate to what Paula has to say. One cannot help being impressed by her honesty and willingness to share the intimacy of such an event in the life of her family

Shirley Hartery