BOSTON -- Coping with grief during the holiday season can be overwhelming. But a local woman shares her experience with NewsCenter 5's Heather Unruh, proving there is a way to get through the sorrow.

"We were best of friends," said Kathy Lind, of Belmont, Mass. "Being with our kids was really the best joy."

Lind clutched a photo album of her late husband Walter. They shared 35 happy years together, and three beautiful children. But in 2007, Walter lost his life to cancer. This will be their second Christmas without him.

"There is an important life that is no longer part of the celebration," Lind said.

Every day is tough for Lind, and her family. But holidays can be more difficult.

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"The sadness is, he isn't here to experience the new weddings the new grandchild. All the new things," she said.

But Lind has learned that focusing on the good things, and the fond memories gets her through.

"What we've done is just use that time to talk about Walter. To talk about the gifts that he gave us in terms of our life and our joy. And instead of feeling sad for what we lost to be thankful for what we had," she said.

She has found comfort by joining a support group run by Partners Hospice, one of many bereavement groups out there.

"You come into all sorts of sadness and sad times, even a year after, 15 months after, a year after. You need other people to share that with," Lind said.

"Seek support. Seek friends and family who might be able to understand and just listen," said Dr. JoAnne Nowak, a medical director of Partners Hospice.

Nowak says talking about grief is the key to dealing with a loss. And instead of focusing on old traditions that make you sad, try to make new ones.

"I know when I lost someone a few years ago, traditionally I had put white lights on my trees outside. And to remember my sister, I put one pink light. Just little things to memorialize to acknowledge that loss to create space for new traditions is very important," Nowak said.

And it's important to realize you don't have to let go of your old life to begin a new one.

"We all want to move on with our lives and look at the joy in our lives," Lind said. "Pat yourself on your back for the way you have continued to move on in your life , and look for joy and find joy."