Articles

by Julie Gentz The past weekend was filled with family and many wonderful new memories. My oldest stayed overnight and we cooked meals ahead for my granddaughter who is returning to college. It was also “sleep over time at grandma’s” with my 7 and 4 year old grandsons. And, while all of it added up to a lot of activity in two short days, it was an oasis of joy and a touch of normalcy in a world besieged by...

by Angela Miller It’s inside the spaces– the pauses– the infinite stillness– that I most palpably feel the emptiness you’ve left behind. It’s the silence of your missing voice that screams the loudest. It’s every holiday that’s impossible to truly celebrate. It’s the painfully absent goodnight routine. It’s the missing you in every picture of our forever-one-too-small family. It’s the one less set of hands tugging on my shirt. It’s the one missing set of lips not kissing mine. It’s...

song by Patrick DroneyString of lights on the doorWelcome back to your lifeThis is worth living forThere's so much left in storeAnd we don'tGet to chooseWho we get to loveOr who it is we're gonna loseOr what breaks our hearts in twoBut no one really dies if the love remains'Cause nothing that dies really goes awaySee grief, it's just like glitterIt's hard to brush awayBright light and it still shimmersLike it was yesterdayAnd it falls like confettiAll of the memories...

by Julie Gentzhttps://timeinabottle.blog "Grief is like glitter. You can throw a handful of glitter into the air, but when you try to clean it up, you'll never get it all. Even long after the event, you will still find glitter tucked into corners. it will always be there . . . somewhere."  Quote by @irish_cuchulainnSaturday, October 1, 2022Dear Brian,Today you have been gone for a year and a half:18 months;540 days;12,960 hours. Sometimes it seems like an eternity. Other times,...

By Judith Timson It was my husband who set me off this year. We were doing a drive-by look at the just beginning to twinkle holiday lights and he sighed and said: “I miss your Mom.” Me too. Funny how some holiday seasons have more grief bubbling to the surface than others. My mother has been gone almost 11 years, so being without her this time of year is not new. She lived until she was 90, was one of my...

My greatest fear is that the world will eventually forget about my daughter, Katie. This weekend marks four years since she walked out the door and never came home. People surround you with love and compassion when your child dies, but then their lives and responsibilities pull them back to their own worlds. Over time, people retreat and they stop saying your child's name. Is it because they think it will hurt us? Or do they truly forget that our...

by Cremation Asheshttps://ashescremationurn.com The anniversary of a loved one’s death doesn't have to be a day of only sadness. Despite the pain the anniversary of a death holds, it’s also an opportunity to think about the fond and funny moments they brought to your life and thank them for the good times. There is no single way to mark an anniversary. We’ve put together 10 ways to honour a loved one on the anniversary of their death, to help you find the option...

by Eleanor Haleyhttps://whatsyourgrief.com The anniversary of my mother’s death, or her “deathiversary”, is closing in on me. I usually count on the foliage and cool fresh air to tip me off, but the beginning of Fall was so unseasonably warm this year, I hardly noticed. These last few days, though, they’ve played their part well, bringing a dark, wet, coldness that is unmistakenly autumn. For me, they also bring pangs of grief as I’m transported back in time to October...

by DaughtryToday could have been the dayThat you'd blow out your candlesMake a wish as you closed your eyesToday could have been the dayEverybody was laughingInstead I just sit here and cryWho would you be?What would you look likeWhen you looked at me for the very first time?Today could have been the next day of the rest of your lifeNot a day goes by that I don't think of youI'm always asking why this crazy world had to loseSuch a...

by Eleanor Haleyhttps://whatsyourgrief.com/grief-and-sleep When my 5-year-old daughter is tired, it’s obvious to everyone but her. As far as she’s concerned, everything is awful. Nothing pleases her and nothing can possibly make her feel better. She pushes everyone away, while at the same time wanting to be coddled… And, let me tell you, holding her when she’s cranky is like trying to snuggle a porcupine. Come back when you’re a little less prickly, kid. Anyone who’s ever encountered a child probably knows...

by MrsTDJhttp://www.mrstdj.com . . . just wait until tonight, girl.  Mr. Womack surely put his heart and soul into those lyrics, and they’ve defined the weeks since my husband’s passing.  During the day, it’s a bit easier to fill my time because I’ve returned to work.  My head isn’t really in the game, but I’ve got a super supportive boss and great colleagues.  Outside of work, I’ve got Little TDJ, my family, friends and a village of others to fill the...

by Dougy Centerhttps://www.dougy.org It’s August which means many families are preparing for the start of school. When families are also grieving, this transition can bring a mixture relief, dread, excitement, and trepidation. Much like work for adults, children and teens spend a majority of their time at school, and they take their grief with them. For some children and teens, returning to school is comforting. They find support in the structure, familiarity, connections with friends, and the opportunity to focus...