Living With Grief
Many people feel alone in their grief, not realizing that others have similar thoughts and experiences. These articles are based on personal experience and intended to provide a sense community for those experiencing grief.
When Life Doesn’t Go to Plan
Many of us like to be in control…at least in control of our own lives and our hopes and dreams. However, sometimes our lives simply don’t go according to plan. Some roadblocks are so devastating; we simply cannot see a way forward. Most often, this happens when you lose someone that you’ve built your life – or your identity – around.
Using Grief as a Catalyst for Personal Growth
We all have defining moments. In fact, our lives are filled with them. Some are positive, but many are painful. The question becomes, can you learn to use a painful experience as a catalyst for personal growth?
Renaming the Stages of Grief
Many of us have heard about the Stages of Grief. It is a very nice idea that you can break grief down into defined segments that have a clear beginning and end. But what if the stages don’t seem to match our own grief experience?
Grieving a Future I’ll Never Have
When grief is new, it is excruciating and overwhelming. Thankfully, I have healed a lot in the past five years. Now, instead of the intense, searing pain of early grief, I experience the constant reminder of a future I’ll never have…
You’re Not Alone In Your Grief
Grief can be a very isolating experience. But most people grieving the death of a loved one share very common reactions without knowing that others are experiencing the same thing. Here are some of them…
Hiding My Grief Behind the Veil of “Normal”
When you see me, you probably see what you would consider to be a strong person. But most of the time, you don’t really see me. You see me through a veil that I wear that lets you see a version of me that I think you want to see…
Distance in Grief
“Time heals all wounds.” If you’ve lost someone dear to you and find yourself in the darkness of grief, I’m certain you’ve heard or read that refrain numerous times already. It’s a nice thought… but the truth is not so simple and clean cut as that…
A Gift for the Bereaved
The holidays can be a lonely and difficult time for people who have lost someone close to them. The materialism of the holidays might seem unimportant, and short of bringing their loved one back from the dead, they may not want to receive anything that can be wrapped in a box…
It’s the Most Difficult Time of the Year When You’re Grieving
So the song goes, it’s the “most wonderful time of the year” for many. The problem is, there are people who don’t see this as a season of joy – but one of dread. These people often suffer in quiet anguish…
How Can I Be Thankful?
“How can I possibly be thankful for anything anymore?” That’s what constantly raced through my head in the days before the first Thanksgiving after the death of my four-year-old daughter in September 2009. The anticipation of the first big family holiday in the aftermath of her death was overwhelming…
Looking for the Silver Lining After the Death of a Child
Recently, several people have made me think about what it really means when we talk about the “silver lining” in relation to the death of a child – or any close loved one for that matter. Can we find a positive side of death? Does the death of a child ever have a purpose?
Grieving Without God After the Death of a Child
When my four-year-old daughter drowned, I was convinced that had I been a religious person, the pain of her death would have been significantly easier. This is what I’ve learned about grief from a non-religious perspective…