Open To Hope

Filter Your Results

Post Types

What are you dealing with now?

Sort by

Order

Search

Found 7 results

On a Night in December

Every year, on the 2nd Sunday in December, bereaved families around the world light candles in their own homes or with others for one hour, 7-8 P.M., in honor and memory of all children who have died. This poem explains why we do it. On a Night in December In the midst of winter and all [...]

Bereaved Mom ‘Saved’ by Looking Outward, Helping Others

After the death of our daughter Lori, I was completely devastated.  Everything I believed about life was tossed out the window and I was filled with despair. It felt as if grief would destroy me. Much of that time is now a blur, too painful to remember.  But I do recall clearly my feeling of [...]

Poem: I Wonder

When did sadness stop covering everything? I don’t know. It must have first been for moments, then maybe hours, days eventually. Then for a long time no longer ever-present, but just below the surface waiting for a thought to trigger it. Now, the ingredients of my life are suffused with contentment and joy, but even [...]

Poem: First Thanksgiving

The thought of being thankful fills my heart with dread. They’ll all be feigning gladness, not a word about her said. These heavy shrouds of blackness enveloping my soul, pervasive, throat-catching, writhe in me, and coil. I must, I must acknowledge, just express her name, so all sitting at the table, know I’m thankful that [...]

The Robin’s Song

It’s spring once again. Our part of the world is turning back towards the sun; trees are leafing out; wildflowers are blooming. Robins are again singing to one another. And, I believe, also singing to those who are grieving. Before my daughter Lori died, I was under the misperception that only the English robin had [...]

Poem: Catching Valentines

Some of the nicest and most interesting people I know were born in February. So when she came on Groundhog Day I thought, Wow! How great is that! After her death, the huge shadow of sorrow that came with Punxsutawney Phil darkened our determined celebrations of her beautiful, but too short, life. But always, when [...]

Poem: The Promise

Your birth brought me star shine, the moon and the sun; my wishes, dreams, gathered round my little one. My life became sacred, full of promise and light wrapped up in the child who brought love at first sight. The years of your living filled with laughter and tears, excitement, adventure, some boredom, some fears, [...]