It’s been a few years since I’ve written about self-care (Self Care or Selfish), but it remains an integral part in helping walk through the grief journey. Recently, I’ve been thinking that no matter how much time goes by, it’s still so important to protect your heart while you grieve. As the season changes fromContinue reading “Protect Your Heart While You Grieve”
Tag Archives: #griefawareness
The Emptiness of Grief
When I was growing up, if someone died, my mother would immediately head for the kitchen, where she would begin cooking a beautiful Italian meal of sauce, meatballs, and pasta. She’d then ask my father to drive her over to that person’s house so she could sit with them. Inevitably, when we arrived, the houseContinue reading “The Emptiness of Grief”
Compartmentalizing Grief: Are You a Waffle or a Spaghetti?
When my husband and I first got married, I remember reading a book called, “Men Are Like Waffles, and Women Are Like Spaghetti.” Funny title, isn’t it? But one I’ve never forgotten. While the grief journey continues to ebb and flow, recently, Melanie has been strongly on my heart. I came across some photos of herContinue reading “Compartmentalizing Grief: Are You a Waffle or a Spaghetti?”
Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
Without realizing it, it occurred to me that I have often lived my life waiting for the other shoe to drop. It doesn’t take a session being psychoanalyzed to know this comes from the fact that both my father and daughter died unexpectedly. When a traumatic death occurs, we face the unfortunate fact that ourContinue reading “Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop”
The Fight to Flourish
Grief work is hard. It seems absurd to make that statement because anyone who has suffered a loss knows how difficult this journey is. We don’t get through grief by happenstance. It takes work to walk this road. After losing my daughter, I read as much as possible as I tried to piece together theContinue reading “The Fight to Flourish”
How Long Will the Pain Last
This is a frequent question among those who find themselves grieving. During the early days, pain is expected. Even as the weeks become months, there is an expectation and understanding that we are still in pain as we grieve the loss of our loved ones. But as time begins to move forward and the painContinue reading “How Long Will the Pain Last”
A Broken Heart Still Beats
When I was told that my daughter died, it took my heart a moment to catch up with the words my ears heard. The first thing I felt was shock, followed by numbness. I’m convinced this is the body’s way of protecting itself. Looking back on those early hours, I’m in awe that I couldContinue reading “A Broken Heart Still Beats”
International Bereaved Mother’s Day
Each year the week before Mother’s Day, the world observes International Bereaved Mother’s Day. This year it is on Sunday, May 7th. Who knew there was such a thing? I didn’t realize this until I needed to know. We acknowledge this day because no matter what the circumstance surrounding the death of our children, we would chooseContinue reading “International Bereaved Mother’s Day”
Accepting the Life We Didn’t Choose
When the world around you falls apart, and you’re completely blindsided by life, you may wonder, where is God? Does he even exist? While many may cry out to him, others may ask, where is he? Is he even here? If so, how could he let this happen? If you’re like me and are walkingContinue reading “Accepting the Life We Didn’t Choose”
The Multiplication and Division of Grief
We are at a point in our home where neither my husband nor I can help our son any longer in math. When he came home talking about quadratic equations, my eyes rolled into the back of my head. But even without being proficient in this level of math, there is some basic mathematics IContinue reading “The Multiplication and Division of Grief”
Grief and Gratitude
When putting these two words together – grief and gratitude – it seems like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? Yet, as I continue learning more about the grieving process, it’s a term I’ve often heard used. There is a season when grief and gratitude can begin to co-exist sometime down the road. Gratitude during grief meansContinue reading “Grief and Gratitude”
Practicing the 3 C’s of Grief: Choose, Connect, Communicate
The grief journey isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. Like sprint runners, we will not get through our grief in 1 minute 20 seconds. Several friends have run the Boston Marathon, which takes months of rigorous training and preparation. They need to practice running short intervals, then slowly, they begin increasing the time of theirContinue reading “Practicing the 3 C’s of Grief: Choose, Connect, Communicate”