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	<title>Open to Hope Foundation &#187; Harriet Hodgson</title>
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	<link>http://www.opentohope.com</link>
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		<title>Open to Hope Foundation</title>
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	<itunes:summary>Are you suffering from loss? Feeling alone? Looking for hope? Join Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley, bereaved parent/sibling on their weekly Open to Hope Internet radio show. The Horsleys are founders of Opentohope.com and international experts on finding hope after loss. Their personal journey and the stories of their guests will inspire you and motivate you to again embrace the life that you have been given.</itunes:summary>
	<itunes:keywords>grief, healing</itunes:keywords>
	<itunes:category text="Health" />
	<itunes:category text="Health">
		<itunes:category text="Self-Help" />
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	<itunes:category text="Kids &#38; Family" />
	<itunes:author>Open to Hope Foundation</itunes:author>
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		<itunes:name>Open to Hope Foundation</itunes:name>
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		<item>
		<title>Help Can Come from Unexpected Sources, Like Ukelele Music</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=help-can-come-from-unexpected-sources-like-ukelele-music</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=help-can-come-from-unexpected-sources-like-ukelele-music#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:59:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirituality]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?post_type=post&#038;p=44115</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Years ago, I heard an author say all life experiences applied to a book when he was writing it. The same could be said of grief support. When you’re grieving, you may find help in unexpected places and from unexpected people &#8212; like a professional ukulele player. Today, as I was surfing television channels, I [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Creating Positive Affirmations for a New Year</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=creating-positive-affirmations-for-a-new-year</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=creating-positive-affirmations-for-a-new-year#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:59:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anniversaries, Birthdays, Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?post_type=post&#038;p=44010</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Losing four family members in 2007 changed my thinking. I wondered if I would survive multiple losses. More worrisome, I wondered if I would ever be happy again. It didn’t take long for me to realize I needed an attitude adjustment. Somehow, I had to turn my negative thoughts to positive ones. I began to [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=creating-positive-affirmations-for-a-new-year/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A New Answer to the Question, &#8216;How are You?&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=a-new-answer-to-the-question-how-are-you</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=a-new-answer-to-the-question-how-are-you#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:09:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family Loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grieving Styles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Helping Others]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?post_type=post&#038;p=43884</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;How are you?&#8221; became a dreaded question. Four family members, my daughter, father-in-law, brother, and former son-in-law, died in 2007. My daughter and former son-in-law died from the injuries they received in separate car crashes. Family members and friends couldn&#8217;t believe the story and I couldn&#8217;t either. Suddenly, our twin grandchildren were orphans and my [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=a-new-answer-to-the-question-how-are-you/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Thoughts of Holiday Gifts and My Deceased Daughter</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=thoughts-of-holiday-gifts-and-my-deceased-daughter</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=thoughts-of-holiday-gifts-and-my-deceased-daughter#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:49:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anniversaries, Birthdays, Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Family Loss]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?post_type=post&#038;p=43862</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Holidays are a time of reflection and self-discovery for those who mourn.  Four years have passed since my daughter died, and I am still overwhelmed with memories at Christmas time.  Since this was her favorite holiday, I naturally think of her.  I remember the thought she put into selecting and making gifts.  I have dreamed [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=thoughts-of-holiday-gifts-and-my-deceased-daughter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Spiritual Women Help Grieving Friends</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=spiritual-women-help-grieving-friends</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=spiritual-women-help-grieving-friends#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:20:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Helping Others]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirituality]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?post_type=post&#038;p=43734</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last week I gave a talk at a local church about spiritual women helping each other.  The talk came from my own experience of losing four family members in 2007.  My handout showed the “bones” of my talk and helped audience members to follow along.  What were the points of my talk? Spiritual women offer [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=spiritual-women-help-grieving-friends/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Thanksgiving Day Brings Sweet, Sad Memories</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=thanksgivings-past-thankgivings-future</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=thanksgivings-past-thankgivings-future#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 20 Nov 2011 09:24:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anniversaries, Birthdays, Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?post_type=post&#038;p=43620</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Thanksgiving is a hard day for me.  My parents were married on this day and my elder daughter, now deceased, was born on Thanksgiving.  I can still smell the tantalizing smell of roasting turkey wafting down the hall from the hospital kitchen and the thyme that was added to the stuffing.  But there was no [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=thanksgivings-past-thankgivings-future/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Finding Daughter&#8217;s Purse Restarts Grief Four Years Later</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=finding-daughters-purse-restarts-grief-four-years-later</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=finding-daughters-purse-restarts-grief-four-years-later#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:40:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?post_type=post&#038;p=43487</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The lower level of our house gets lots of use, especially in the winter time. We watch television there and work in our home office. Fourteen years ago, we had new carpet installed and it had become worn and dirty. &#8220;Sorry, I can&#8217;t get it any cleaner,&#8221; the cleaning man said, and I believed him. [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=finding-daughters-purse-restarts-grief-four-years-later/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Now I See: Grieving and Raising My Grandchildren</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=now-i-see-grieving-and-raising-my-grandchildren</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=now-i-see-grieving-and-raising-my-grandchildren#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Oct 2011 08:45:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?post_type=post&#038;p=42549</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[“You’re coming home with us,” I said.  My husband and I and our twin grandchildren were standing by the hospital’s emergency entrance.  Tragedy had found us again.  Nine months ago, their mother (our daughter) died from the injuries she received in a car crash.  Their fatherhad  just died from the injuries he received in another [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=now-i-see-grieving-and-raising-my-grandchildren/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Challenges of Relocation Grief</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-challenges-of-relocation-grief</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-challenges-of-relocation-grief#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Aug 2011 08:00:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Other Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Your Stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?post_type=post&#038;p=41601</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Relocation grief.  I feel it already, though I won’t move for at least four years.  When I look out the kitchen window at the apple trees, birds flying back and forth, and visiting wildlife, including deer, turkeys, and pheasant, I feel a sense of loss. My husband and I have already reserved a unit at [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-challenges-of-relocation-grief/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mass Murder in Norway Triggers Anticipatory Grief</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mass-murder-in-norway-triggers-anticipatory-grief</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mass-murder-in-norway-triggers-anticipatory-grief#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 30 Jul 2011 08:37:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Homicide]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Other Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Traumatic Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?post_type=post&#038;p=41584</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The recent murders of innocent children and adults in Oslo, Norway, are a national tragedy.  Like September 11th, this tragedy causes anticipatory grief.  Usually we associate anticipatory grief with the failing health of a family member, friend, or pet.  But anticipatory grief can affect an entire population. Anticipatory grief is a feeling of loss before [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mass-murder-in-norway-triggers-anticipatory-grief/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Grieving for Deceased Loved One and Broken Relationship</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=grieving-for-deceased-loved-one-and-broken-relationship</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=grieving-for-deceased-loved-one-and-broken-relationship#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 27 Jun 2011 08:14:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Parent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=40864</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Grief comes in many forms, including the feelings associated with death,  anticipatory grief, and self–grief.  During the grieving process, we may also mourn for broken family relationships. My brother was five years older than I.  According to my mother, he was so excited to have a baby sister he asked to stay home from kindergarten [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=grieving-for-deceased-loved-one-and-broken-relationship/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Not Everyone Benefits from Graveside Visits</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=visiting-a-loved-one%e2%80%99s-grave-is-it-comforting</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=visiting-a-loved-one%e2%80%99s-grave-is-it-comforting#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:36:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=40830</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Many years ago, when I was in first grade, my parents and I visited an inner city grave.  It was my brother’s grave, a brother I never knew because he was a premature twin and died two days after he was born.  The other twin survived and I grew up with a brother. While [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=visiting-a-loved-one%e2%80%99s-grave-is-it-comforting/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Recipes Link Her to Mother-in-Law, Memories</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=recipes-link-her-to-mother-in-law-memories</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=recipes-link-her-to-mother-in-law-memories#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:35:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Other Losses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[belongings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[funerals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=40781</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After my mother-in-law died, I received her copy of The Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer. No other family members wanted the book, which surprised me, so it became mine. Over the years, she used the book as a file, and tucked clippings and recipe booklets in its pages. She also added [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=recipes-link-her-to-mother-in-law-memories/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mother Finds Comfort Saying Daughter&#8217;s Name</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mother-finds-comfort-saying-daughters-name</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mother-finds-comfort-saying-daughters-name#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 May 2011 08:04:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=40129</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Few ask how I&#8217;m doing these days. Friends have resumed their lives and so have I. Today, I&#8217;m living a new, meaningful and happy life. Yet there are times when the pain of losing my daughter in 2007 hits without warning. Suddenly, I am transported back in time and see terrible images from the hospital [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mother-finds-comfort-saying-daughters-name/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>10</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Comfort of a Red Cardinal in Wintertime</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-comfort-of-a-red-cardinal-in-wintertime</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-comfort-of-a-red-cardinal-in-wintertime#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Apr 2011 08:23:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=39957</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Losing four family members within nine months has been, and continues to be, the most challenging experience of my life.  My daughter and father-in-law died the same weekend.  Several months later, my brother died and several months after that, my former son-in-law died.  The grief of multiple losses was so painful I could barely move [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-comfort-of-a-red-cardinal-in-wintertime/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Playing Hide-and-Seek with Grief</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=playing-hide-and-seek-with-grief</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=playing-hide-and-seek-with-grief#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Mar 2011 09:12:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guilt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=39633</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The church service had just begun and the congregation and guests were greeting one another. A friend, who knew four of my family members died in 2007, approached me and asked, &#8220;How are you?&#8221; &#8220;I&#8217;m good,&#8221; I replied. &#8220;How are you?&#8221; Widowed a year ago, my friend replied, &#8220;Oh, I&#8217;ve found that grief hides. When [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=playing-hide-and-seek-with-grief/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Always Counting: Anniversary of a Daughter&#8217;s Death</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=always-counting-anniversary-of-a-daughters-death</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=always-counting-anniversary-of-a-daughters-death#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:47:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=39648</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today is the fourth anniversary of my daughter’s death.  I’ve been dreading this day for several weeks because it reminds me, yet again, of the finality of loss.  It also brings back memories of surgeons operating on my daughter for 20 hours in a desperate attempt to save her life. Heroic as the surgeons’ efforts [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=always-counting-anniversary-of-a-daughters-death/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How to Listen to Someone Who&#8217;s Grieving</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=how-to-listen-to-someone-whos-grieving</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=how-to-listen-to-someone-whos-grieving#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:18:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Helping Others]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hospice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Traumatic Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=39472</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We had just gone to bed when the phone rang. The call was from a member of the ambulance team. She called to tell us our daughter had been injured in a car crash. &#8220;It&#8217;s really bad,&#8221; she concluded. I can still hear her words in my mind and, painful as they were, they helped [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=how-to-listen-to-someone-whos-grieving/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Tucson Memorial Service: Why did People Applaud?</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-tucson-memorial-service-why-did-people-applaud</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-tucson-memorial-service-why-did-people-applaud#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:10:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Other Losses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[belongings, funerals, money]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=37784</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Like millions of other Americans, I turned on the television to watch the memorial service for the victims of the Tucson rampage.  The service opened with music, as many traditional services do, and President and Mrs. Obama bowed their heads as the symphony orchestra played the Copeland fanfare. Then things began to change.  People, approximately [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-tucson-memorial-service-why-did-people-applaud/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Giving Yourself Away &#8211; A Source of Comfort When You&#8217;re Grieving</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=giving-yourself-away-a-source-of-comfort-when-youre-grieving</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=giving-yourself-away-a-source-of-comfort-when-youre-grieving#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jan 2011 09:30:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anniversaries, Birthdays, Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=37279</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My daughter loved Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving was special because she was born on this day. Christmas gave her a chance to give to others, even though she had little money. In her younger years, when she didn&#8217;t have twins to care for and her job as an engineer, family members often received homemade gifts. [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=giving-yourself-away-a-source-of-comfort-when-youre-grieving/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Six Steps to Regaining Balance After a Loss</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=six-steps-to-regaining-balance-after-a-loss</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=six-steps-to-regaining-balance-after-a-loss#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 26 Dec 2010 09:43:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[anger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guilt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=37180</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After a loved one dies you&#8217;re overwhelmed with contradictory feelings. You have trouble sleeping and feelings you didn&#8217;t know you keep you awake for hours. At least, that is my experience after four family members, my daughter, father-in-law, brother, and former son-in-law, in 2007. Hymns, poems, novels and stories have been written about the quest [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=six-steps-to-regaining-balance-after-a-loss/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Elizabeth Edwards: Woman of Grace</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=elizabeth-edwards-woman-of-grace</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=elizabeth-edwards-woman-of-grace#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Dec 2010 00:58:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Other Losses]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=37100</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I identified with Elizabeth Edwards.  Like her, I had lost a child.  Like her, I was a book author.  Like her, I spoke to community groups.  For years, I followed Elizabeth on television and admired her from afar.  She was truly a woman of laughter, grace and courage. What is courage?  According to the dictionary, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=elizabeth-edwards-woman-of-grace/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Grief&#8217;s Linking Objects &#8211; Why Do We Hold On?</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=griefs-linking-objects-why-do-we-hold-on</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=griefs-linking-objects-why-do-we-hold-on#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:49:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[belongings, funerals, money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=35475</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After my daughter died, I became acutely aware of the gifts she had given my husband and me. One year, she gave us a step stool for Christmas because she was afraid our rickety one would collapse and injure us. Years ago, she gave me a counted cross stitch pillow for my birthday. Though she [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=griefs-linking-objects-why-do-we-hold-on/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Avoiding the Victim Role while Mourning</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=avoiding-the-victim-role-while-mourning</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=avoiding-the-victim-role-while-mourning#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Dec 2010 20:49:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[anger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guilt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=36897</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Finding your way through the grief maze takes time, gut-level honesty, and personal courage.  Questions keep you awake at night and haunt your days.  Who am I now?  Will I survive this?  What will life become?  Unfortunately, some mourners succumb to the victim role, which is damaging and nonproductive. After four family members, including my [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=avoiding-the-victim-role-while-mourning/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Using Linking Objects at Thanksgiving Dinner</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=using-linking-objects-at-thanksgiving-dinner</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=using-linking-objects-at-thanksgiving-dinner#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Nov 2010 09:25:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anniversaries, Birthdays, Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=34735</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The empty chairs at our Thanksgiving table are increasing.  Four loved ones died in 2007 and, while the pain of loss has diminished, it’s still with me. My father-in-law, the family patriarch who always asked us to join hands and say, “God bless us every one,” won’t be with us.  Nor will my elder daughter [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=using-linking-objects-at-thanksgiving-dinner/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Replacing Flashbacks With Happy, Hopeful Images</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=replacing-flashbacks-with-happy-hopeful-images</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=replacing-flashbacks-with-happy-hopeful-images#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Nov 2010 09:46:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=34139</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Several weeks ago I drove to a meeting with friends.  It was an hour and a half drive and, to pass the time, I showed them my new affirmations book.  This led to a conversation about loss and grief, one of those sincere, gut-level moments that rarely come along. “I was with my mother when [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=replacing-flashbacks-with-happy-hopeful-images/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Creating a Grief Recovery Bucket List</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=creating-a-grief-recovery-bucket-list</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=creating-a-grief-recovery-bucket-list#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Oct 2010 13:51:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://69.175.126.58/~opentoho/?p=29815</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Bucket list &#8212; a list of things you want to do before you die &#8212; has recently become part of American vernacular. The words have become part of American life as well. Writing prompts for bucket lists are posted on the Internet. Several websites are devoted to personal lists and many postings focus on travel. [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=creating-a-grief-recovery-bucket-list/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Despite Losses, We Can Be Who We Want to Be</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=despite-losses-we-can-decide-who-we-want-to-be</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=despite-losses-we-can-decide-who-we-want-to-be#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Oct 2010 07:00:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grieving Styles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Helping Others]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=8541</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In her new book, “Just Who Will You Be?” Maria Shriver discusses life purpose and planning.  “Ask yourself, ‘Who do I want to be?’  It’s the most important question of your life,” she writes. Her question may be applied to grief reconciliation and recovery.  Despite our losses, pain, and sorrow, we can decide who we [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=despite-losses-we-can-decide-who-we-want-to-be/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Caregivers Need Time to Let Go</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=caregivers-need-time-to-let-go</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=caregivers-need-time-to-let-go#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:22:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=9571</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last weekend, my husband and I took our granddaughter to college. She is a freshman at a small, historic, respected college in Iowa. We are excited about her college choice and acceptance. But our emotions are tugged in two directions &#8212; caregiving and letting go &#8212; and this is an uncomfortable place. We have been [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=caregivers-need-time-to-let-go/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Laughter is Key to Grief Recovery</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=laughter-is-key-to-grief-recovery</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=laughter-is-key-to-grief-recovery#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:17:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=9512</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Humans were meant to laugh. The ability to laugh is wired into our minds, and that is a good thing for all who mourn. Four of my loved ones, including my elder daughter, died in 2007, and I thought I would never laugh again. As the months passed, however, my humor slowly returned. Laughing helped [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=laughter-is-key-to-grief-recovery/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How to Reclaim Power After a Loss</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=how-to-reclaim-power-after-a-loss</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=how-to-reclaim-power-after-a-loss#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Aug 2010 09:18:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grieving Styles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=9487</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The other day, I came across a rerun of Oprah Winfrey&#8217;s television show. Interior designer Nate Berkus was one of her guests. He was there to talk about recovering from loss, something Berkus knows all too well. Five years ago, his life partner was killed in the tsunami that wreaked havoc on Thailand. When the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=how-to-reclaim-power-after-a-loss/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How to Tell Your Grief Story So Others Will Listen</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=how-to-tell-your-grief-story-so-others-will-listen</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=how-to-tell-your-grief-story-so-others-will-listen#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:41:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grieving Styles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Helping Others]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=9395</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Every mourner has a story to share. You may share your story with family members, close friends, and community groups. But you need to share it without upsetting listeners so much they turn you off. How can you do this? I have shared my story of multiple losses with many groups and take a &#8220;then [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=how-to-tell-your-grief-story-so-others-will-listen/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Graduation Historic Day for Parentless Children Raised by Grandparents</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=graduation-historic-day-for-parentless-children-raised-by-grandparents</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=graduation-historic-day-for-parentless-children-raised-by-grandparents#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:31:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Children & Grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=9325</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[June was graduation month for most American high schools.  Our twin grandchildren graduated then, and my husband and I attended the ceremony.  It was an emotional experience because we are GRGs, grandparents raising grandchildren.  We assumed these roles after our grandchildren&#8217;s parents &#8212; our daughter and son-in-law &#8212; were killed in separate car crashes. Graduation [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=graduation-historic-day-for-parentless-children-raised-by-grandparents/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>10-Minute Exercise Helps in Grieving Process</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=10-minute-exercise-helps-in-grieving-process</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=10-minute-exercise-helps-in-grieving-process#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:19:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=9308</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[More than three years have passed since four family members died. The shock of multiple losses &#8212; my elder daughter, father-in-law, brother, and former son-in-law &#8212; brought me to my knees. The deaths occurred successively, within a nine-month period, and I was in continuous shock. My emotions were raw. Today, I realize the pain of [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=10-minute-exercise-helps-in-grieving-process/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mother Finds Comfort in Living Her Daughter&#8217;s Values</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mother-finds-comfort-in-living-her-daughters-values</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mother-finds-comfort-in-living-her-daughters-values#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 06 Jun 2010 19:35:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Activities to process grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Children & Grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=9198</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On the first anniversary of our daughter&#8217;s death, my husband and I held a graveside service in her memory. It was a brief service because the February temperature hovered around zero and the wind chill was fierce. Despite the weather, 10 people gathered to remember her. I passed out a list of our daughter&#8217;s values. [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mother-finds-comfort-in-living-her-daughters-values/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mourners Can Choose Happiness, a Gift to Themselves</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mourners-can-choose-happiness-a-gift-to-themselves</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mourners-can-choose-happiness-a-gift-to-themselves#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 30 May 2010 09:50:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grieving Styles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=9172</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The death of a loved one changes you forever. You mourn, determine your grief work, do the work, and try to build a new life. At least, these are the things I had to do after four loved ones died in 2007. Though I miss my father-in-law, brother, and former son-in-law, my daughter&#8217;s death affected [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mourners-can-choose-happiness-a-gift-to-themselves/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mourners Surrounded by Sacred Moments</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mourners-surrounded-by-sacred-moments</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mourners-surrounded-by-sacred-moments#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 22 May 2010 09:55:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Children & Grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=8559</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ever since my daughter died from the injuries she received in a car crash in 2007, I&#8217;ve become more aware of the sacred moments in my life.  Before she died I thought I was aware of these moments, but this turned out to be untrue.  I was sort of aware of them. Other family members [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=mourners-surrounded-by-sacred-moments/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Multiple Losses Can Increase Isolation</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=multiple-losses-can-increase-isolation</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=multiple-losses-can-increase-isolation#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:34:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=8523</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;We don&#8217;t see many people these days,&#8221; my husband commented. &#8220;I know,&#8221; I answered. &#8220;It&#8217;s because of our multiple losses.&#8221; After our twin grandchildren lost their parents in separate car crashes in 2007 we became their legal guardians and conservators &#8212; roles that required tremendous time and documentation. Then two more family members died. Grieving [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=multiple-losses-can-increase-isolation/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Coping With Sudden and Traumatic Loss</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=coping-with-sudden-and-traumatic-loss</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=coping-with-sudden-and-traumatic-loss#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:57:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=8457</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A sudden and traumatic death shatters your world. The changes may be readily apparent or may take months, or even years, to emerge. In 2007, my elder daughter (mother of my twin grandchildren) and father-in-law died on the same weekend. I was in such shock I could hardly think. Yet there were burial arrangements to [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=coping-with-sudden-and-traumatic-loss/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Raising my Twin Grandchildren: Endings and Beginnings</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=raising-my-twin-grandchildren-endings-and-beginnings</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=raising-my-twin-grandchildren-endings-and-beginnings#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Apr 2010 09:58:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=8408</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After our elder daughter was killed in a car crash and our former son-in-law died in another car crash, my husband and I became GRGs – grandparents raising grandchildren.  Wow, did our lives change!  We are back to booming rock music, school concerts, ringing phones, text messages and emails, sleepovers, and school trips. Since I [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=raising-my-twin-grandchildren-endings-and-beginnings/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>15 Recovery Promises to Make to Yourself</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=15-recovery-promises-to-make-to-yourself</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=15-recovery-promises-to-make-to-yourself#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Apr 2010 09:08:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=8386</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Until I lost four loved ones in 2007, I did not realize recovering from grief was a personal choice. The shock of multiple losses was so great I could hardly think. Two choices were open to me. I could stay stuck in grief and remain a victim, or I could create a new life for [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=15-recovery-promises-to-make-to-yourself/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Prepare Your Response Plan for Grief Triggers</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=prepare-your-response-plan-for-grief-triggers</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=prepare-your-response-plan-for-grief-triggers#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:14:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anniversaries, Birthdays, Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=8279</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Grief triggers &#8211; your deceased loved one&#8217;s birthday, the anniversary of your loss, and holiday festivities &#8211; are a recovery challenge. How will you respond? Will you continue to move forward with life or will the grief trigger stop you in your tracks? Worse, will you go backwards? I ask these questions when I encounter [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=prepare-your-response-plan-for-grief-triggers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Conflicting Feelings on Third Anniversary of Daughter’s Death</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=conflicting-feelings-on-third-anniversary-of-daughter%e2%80%99s-death</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=conflicting-feelings-on-third-anniversary-of-daughter%e2%80%99s-death#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:03:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=8231</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today &#8212; February 23, 2010 – is third anniversary of my daughter’s death.  She died from the injuries she received in a car crash.  I have conflicting feelings: sorrow that will be with me always, and a sense of accomplishment about raising my grandchildren.  The instant we learned their father had died in another car [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=conflicting-feelings-on-third-anniversary-of-daughter%e2%80%99s-death/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>As You Grieve, Look for Sacred Moments</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=as-you-grieve-look-for-sacred-moments</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=as-you-grieve-look-for-sacred-moments#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:37:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Questioning Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirituality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=8114</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After my physician husband completed his tour of duty in Vietnam, the Air Force sent him to a base in Selma, Alabama.  He was the commander of the medical group.  My husband and I, and our two young daughters, lived in a converted barracks.  Each morning, dozens of maids would walk from town – a [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=as-you-grieve-look-for-sacred-moments/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Writing Affirmations Can Help With Grief</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=writing-affirmations-can-help-with-grief</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=writing-affirmations-can-help-with-grief#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:51:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=7980</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In 2007, when I was devastated by the deaths of four loved ones, I looked for new ways to cope with grief. Though I had good coping skills, nothing had prepared me for multiple losses. Since I am a writer, I followed my instincts, and started writing about grief. I did something else, too. Each [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=writing-affirmations-can-help-with-grief/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Handling the Most Haunting Memories</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=handling-the-most-haunting-memories</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=handling-the-most-haunting-memories#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 2010 09:04:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=7960</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On a February weekend in 2007, my elder daughter and father-in-law died. Their causes of death were very different. My father-in-law was 98 1/2 years old and had been dwindling for months. His death was anticipated and I had made peace with it. But my daughter&#8217;s death from blunt force trauma in a car crash [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=handling-the-most-haunting-memories/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Is it Time for a New Version of Your Grief Story?</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=is-it-time-for-a-new-version-of-your-grief-story</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=is-it-time-for-a-new-version-of-your-grief-story#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:23:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=8090</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Oprah has one of the top shows on television, but I rarely have time to see it.  Last week, however, I watched part of Oprah’s interview with Rosie O’Donnell.  For decades, Rosie had been portraying herself as a child whose mother died when she was in fifth grade.  Rosie’s former partner asked her if it [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=is-it-time-for-a-new-version-of-your-grief-story/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Listening to Haitians&#8217; Stories Crucial in the Days Ahead</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=listening-to-haitians-stories-crucial-in-the-days-ahead</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=listening-to-haitians-stories-crucial-in-the-days-ahead#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:52:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=8008</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Nobody knows how many Haitians were killed in the earthquake. The current estimate of 100,000-200,000 is beyond understanding. Though aid is pouring in from around the world, lack of government, communications, roads, heavy equipment, and gasoline prevents it from reaching the people. Captain Bruce Lindsey, commander of the USS Carl Vinson, anchored off Haiti&#8217;s coast, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=listening-to-haitians-stories-crucial-in-the-days-ahead/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>When to Tell &#8211; and Not Tell &#8211; Your Grief Story</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=when-to-tell-and-not-tell-your-grief-story</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=when-to-tell-and-not-tell-your-grief-story#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:46:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=7955</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last month, my husband and I went to a holiday party. We enjoyed the food, piano music, and visiting with friends. As we prepared to leave, a friend asked what I was doing these days. When I told her we were raising our twin grandchildren because their parents had died in separate car crashes, her [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=when-to-tell-and-not-tell-your-grief-story/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Anticipatory Grief Can Help You Find Your True Self</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-can-help-you-find-your-true-self</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-can-help-you-find-your-true-self#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:34:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grieving Styles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=7949</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I taught school for a dozen years and loved every one of them. But the day came when I realized I had done everything I could with my job and had no more to give. To keep myself creative, I started writing articles for educational magazines and several were published. The idea of becoming a [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-can-help-you-find-your-true-self/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Finding a Reason to Get Up in the Morning</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=finding-a-reason-to-get-up-in-the-morning</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=finding-a-reason-to-get-up-in-the-morning#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:00:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grieving Styles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=7946</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Death makes us examine life. We ask: How did this happen? Why did it happen to me? How will I go on? As we struggle to find answers, we must deal with daily tasks &#8212; grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, paying bills and home repairs. What a bummer. I had many questions after my daughter [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=finding-a-reason-to-get-up-in-the-morning/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Restoring Balance After the Death of a Loved One</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=restoring-balance-after-the-death-of-a-loved-one</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=restoring-balance-after-the-death-of-a-loved-one#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:31:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[anger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[belongings, funerals, money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guilt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.opentohope.com/?p=37059</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Restoring stability and balance after a death may be the biggest challenge of your life. Balance is what I wanted after four family members died within nine months. Other family members had died and, though I was familiar with loss, this time was different. Grieving for multiple losses is harder than grieving for one and [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=restoring-balance-after-the-death-of-a-loved-one/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>As the Mental Picture of Your Loved One Fades</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=as-the-mental-picture-of-your-loved-one-fades</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=as-the-mental-picture-of-your-loved-one-fades#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:20:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=7806</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My daughter was 45 years old when she died on a February night from the injuries she received in a car crash.  The last time I saw her, she was taking her children to see their dying grandfather, and laughing at something they said.  When she died two days later – before her grandfather – [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=as-the-mental-picture-of-your-loved-one-fades/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Three Years into Grief Journey: A Surprising Struggle</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=two-years-into-grief-journey-a-surprising-struggle</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=two-years-into-grief-journey-a-surprising-struggle#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:17:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Art Hope and Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=7856</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As I get closer to the third anniversary of my daughter&#8217;s death, I struggle with opposite emotions. I feel the pain of death and the joy of living. The first year after my daughter died I cringed when people asked, &#8220;How are you?&#8221; Now I welcome the question. For as the months passed, people began [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=two-years-into-grief-journey-a-surprising-struggle/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Honor the Deceased, Even if Relationship Was Broken</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=honor-the-deceased-even-if-relationship-was-broken</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=honor-the-deceased-even-if-relationship-was-broken#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:11:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Sibling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=7831</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When my brother died in the spring of 2007, I barely had time to mourn him. Our elder daughter &#8212; mother of our twin grandchildren &#8212; had died four months earlier. My father-in-law died the same weekend and we were swamped with tasks. We were also doing all we could to nurture our grandchildren &#8212; [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=honor-the-deceased-even-if-relationship-was-broken/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Celebrating My Deceased Daughter’s Birthday</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=celebrating-my-deceased-daughter%e2%80%99s-birthday</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=celebrating-my-deceased-daughter%e2%80%99s-birthday#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:28:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anniversaries, Birthdays, Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=7802</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today would have been my elder daughter’s birthday.  She was born on Thanksgiving Day decades ago.  The hospital staff was preparing a turkey dinner for the new mothers, and I was very aware of the tantalizing smells while I was in labor.  I wanted to eat that dinner, but could not. How am I going to [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=celebrating-my-deceased-daughter%e2%80%99s-birthday/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Symbol of Hope Among the Ruins: The Painted Heart</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=symbol-of-hope-among-the-ruins-the-painted-heart</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=symbol-of-hope-among-the-ruins-the-painted-heart#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:27:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anniversaries, Birthdays, Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=7717</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Clearing out our deceased daughter’s house took more than a year.  My husband and I could only work for a half-hour before we were overcome with grief.  Our daughter died from the injuries she received in a car crash.  Nine months later, her former husband was killed in another car crash, and we were raising [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=symbol-of-hope-among-the-ruins-the-painted-heart/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Holiday Treats Stir Up Memories of Loved Ones</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=holiday-treats-stir-up-memories-of-loved-ones</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=holiday-treats-stir-up-memories-of-loved-ones#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:51:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anniversaries, Birthdays, Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Grandparent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=7709</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Nana made candied orange peel every year. Dishes of this sweet treat appeared at the Thanksgiving table and Christmas dinner. In fact, the holidays would not be the same without this candy.  After Nana died, my elder daughter continued the tradition, until she died two years ago. She was the mother of our only grandchildren [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=holiday-treats-stir-up-memories-of-loved-ones/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Check Blood Pressure Regularly as You Grieve</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=check-blood-pressure-regularly-as-you-grieve</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=check-blood-pressure-regularly-as-you-grieve#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:11:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=7679</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I try to take care of myself, and most of the time I do a good job of it. Getting an annual physical exam is part of my self-care plan. My exam started yesterday and the test results were excellent: very low cholesterol and a normal heart rate of 72 beats per minute. Though I [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=check-blood-pressure-regularly-as-you-grieve/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Guilt During Grief is Normal but Unproductive</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=guilt-during-grief-is-normal-but-unproductive</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=guilt-during-grief-is-normal-but-unproductive#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:03:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guilt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=5611</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I had guilt feelings after four loved ones died within nine months. My elder daughter was the first family member to die and, though she and her twins came for dinner every Sunday, I wished I had spent more time with her. Two days after she died, my father-in-law died. He had dementia, and caring [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=guilt-during-grief-is-normal-but-unproductive/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Checking Your Support System</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=checking-your-support-system</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=checking-your-support-system#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:58:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pastoral Support]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirituality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=5573</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Grief creates an immediate need for support.  My husband and I relied on a family support system – our elder daughter, brother and sister-in-law, and father-in-law – for many years.  All of these family members lived in town and were only minutes away.  Then our lives changed. In February of 2007, our daughter died from [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=checking-your-support-system/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>&#8216;Grief Buddies&#8217; Can Help You Cope</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=grief-buddies-can-help-you-cope</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=grief-buddies-can-help-you-cope#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 09:13:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grieving Styles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=5399</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Whether it was anticipated or sudden, the death of a loved one is a traumatic experience.  Two and a half years ago, my daughter died from the injuries she received in a car crash.  Death was even more shocking when my father-in-law died two days later.   In fact, we were so overcome with shock we [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=grief-buddies-can-help-you-cope/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>As You&#8217;re Grieving: Seven Questions to Ask Yourself</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=as-youre-grieving-seven-questions-to-ask-yourself</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=as-youre-grieving-seven-questions-to-ask-yourself#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:52:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=5338</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Losing four loved ones within a nine-month span made my mind go in all directions.  I thought about my childhood, things I wished I could have changed, and a future without my loved ones.  Most of all, I worried about my twin grandchildren, who lost both parents in separate car crashes. I also worried about [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=as-youre-grieving-seven-questions-to-ask-yourself/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Antique Iron Bed, a Source of Comfort</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-antique-iron-bed-a-source-of-comfort</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-antique-iron-bed-a-source-of-comfort#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:52:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=5247</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When my husband and I were first married, we didn’t own any furniture.  We lived in furnished apartments for a few years and purchased a home when my husband was a resident at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.  Residents don’t make much money and our house was furnished with hand-me-downs.  My mother and father-in-law gave [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-antique-iron-bed-a-source-of-comfort/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Time Moves Differently When Dealing With Grief</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=time-move-differently-when-dealing-with-grief</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=time-move-differently-when-dealing-with-grief#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:13:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://opentohope.com/?p=5271</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Four months ago my daughter was killed in a car crash. Her sudden death on a snowy night stunned her 15-year-old twins and sent shock waves through the entire family. Many of us are still in shock. I know I am. One moment, I know my daughter is gone. The next moment, I can&#8217;t believe [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=time-move-differently-when-dealing-with-grief/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Song Commissioned in Memory of Daughter</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=using-music-for-grieving</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=using-music-for-grieving#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:27:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=4973</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After my daughter died in February of 2007, my husband and I looked for ways to remember her. We did the usual things &#8212; had a memorial service, told stories, and gave money to the church. But we wanted to do more. How could we keep our daughter&#8217;s spirit alive? The choir was designated as [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=using-music-for-grieving/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>When a Friend Dies</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=when-a-friend-dies</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=when-a-friend-dies#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 Sep 2009 09:48:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Friend]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Other Losses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=4981</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Harriett Hodgson &#8211; My father-in-law made many close friends during his 98 years of life. So many of those friends died that my father-in-law became known as the &#8220;last man standing.&#8221; At first, Dad would get really upset when a close friend died. After losing dozens of friends his response changed. &#8220;He (or she) was [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=when-a-friend-dies/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Heal Through Contact With ‘Inner Voice’</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=heal-through-contact-with-%e2%80%98inner-voice%e2%80%99</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=heal-through-contact-with-%e2%80%98inner-voice%e2%80%99#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:25:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirituality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=5038</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I have talked with many people about grief. Several years ago, I interviewed a young widow about the anticipatory grief she felt during her husband&#8217;s terminal illness. Her story was compelling.  As death drew closer, the couple drew closer. &#8220;We went to a special place,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I can&#8217;t explain it.&#8221; Thanks to life experience, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=heal-through-contact-with-%e2%80%98inner-voice%e2%80%99/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>To Recover From Multiple Losses, Create New Meaning in Life</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=to-recover-from-multiple-losses-create-new-meaning-in-life-2</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=to-recover-from-multiple-losses-create-new-meaning-in-life-2#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2009 22:56:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=5092</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Multiple losses have been the biggest challenge of my life. In February of 2007 my daughter died from the injuries she received in a car crash. Two days later my father-in-law died of pneumonia. Then, just eight weeks later, my brother died of a heart attack. Six months after his death, my former son-in-law died [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=to-recover-from-multiple-losses-create-new-meaning-in-life-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Reconciling Grief: Take All the Time You Need</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=reconciling-grief-take-all-the-time-you-need</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=reconciling-grief-take-all-the-time-you-need#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2009 22:30:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=5047</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Mourners want grief to end.  Some try to rush their mourning, only to find it cannot be rushed.  According to The Talmud, &#8220;Who forces time is pushed back by time; who yields to time finds time is on his side.&#8221;  The process of reconciliation &#8211; -making the deceased part of yourself and your life &#8212; [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=reconciling-grief-take-all-the-time-you-need/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Does Grief End? Belly Laughs and Crème Brule</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=does-grief-end-belly-laughs-and-creme-brule</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=does-grief-end-belly-laughs-and-creme-brule#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2009 22:01:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grieving Styles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=4995</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;Mom, we didn&#8217;t move into the pub,&#8221; my daughter laughed, &#8220;we went there to cool off and eat.&#8221;  No wonder my memory was hazy.  My husband and I were still recovering from the loss of our elder daughter, my father-in-law, my brother, and our former son-in-law.  Four deaths in nine months were overwhelming. The pub [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=does-grief-end-belly-laughs-and-creme-brule/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Inner Voice</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=inner-voice-harriett-hodgson</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=inner-voice-harriett-hodgson#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:49:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=3885</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I have talked with many people about grief. Several years ago I interviewed a young widow about the anticipatory grief she felt during her husband&#8217;s terminal illness. Her story was compelling. As death drew closer the couple drew closer. &#8220;We went to a special place,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I can&#8217;t explain it.&#8221; Thanks to life experience, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=inner-voice-harriett-hodgson/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Music for Grieving</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=using-music-for-grieving-harriet-h</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=using-music-for-grieving-harriet-h#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:21:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grieving Styles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=3801</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Harriet Hodgson &#8211; After my daughter died in February of 2007 my husband and I looked for ways to remember her. We did the usual things &#8212; had a memorial service, told stories, and gave money to the church. But we wanted to do more. How could we keep our daughter&#8217;s spirit alive? The [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=using-music-for-grieving-harriet-h/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>When Does Healing Begin? Watching For the Signs</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=when-does-healing-begin-edit-needed</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=when-does-healing-begin-edit-needed#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:06:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=3518</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Harriet Hodgson &#8211; When you are in the throes of grief, you think you will never be happy again. Your world is a narrow, dark tunnel. You do not see any light, yet glimmers exist, and they are signs of healing. Watch for these signs, for they give you the courage to move forward [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=when-does-healing-begin-edit-needed/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A Wife Marvels at a Father&#8217;s Grief for His Daughter</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=a-wife-marvels-at-a-fathers-grief-for-his-daughter</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=a-wife-marvels-at-a-fathers-grief-for-his-daughter#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:24:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[For Men Only]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Male styles of grieving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=3832</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Harriet Hodgson &#8211; The death of a child is a lifetime loss and parents never recover from it.  Instead, they learn to live with it.  A popular belief is that men don&#8217;t cry; they hold their feelings inside.  But my husband is not like that.  Our daughter&#8217;s sudden death at age 45 from the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=a-wife-marvels-at-a-fathers-grief-for-his-daughter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Focusing on Sacredness of Life May Help Those Grieving</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=focusing-on-sacredness-of-life-may-help-those-grieving</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=focusing-on-sacredness-of-life-may-help-those-grieving#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:37:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pastoral Support]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Questioning Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirituality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=3762</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Harriet Hodgson &#8211; Religion means different things to different people. When someone dies, it is common to turn to religion and spirituality for support. In 2007, four of my loved ones died in the span of nine months. I turned to my church and my inner self. Week after week, I sat quietly on [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=focusing-on-sacredness-of-life-may-help-those-grieving/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Grief Journaling: Don&#8217;t Let a Blank Page Scare You</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=grief-journaling-dont-let-a-blank-page-scare-you</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=grief-journaling-dont-let-a-blank-page-scare-you#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:00:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Art Hope and Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=3748</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Harriet Hodgson &#8211; A blank journal page or computer screen can be intimidating. But this thought did not enter my head after my daughter and father-in-law died the same weekend. Journaling was the only way I could cope. It helped me cope then and continued to help me when my brother died eight weeks [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=grief-journaling-dont-let-a-blank-page-scare-you/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Multiple Losses: Start With the Pain</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=multiple-losses-start-with-the-pain</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=multiple-losses-start-with-the-pain#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:59:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=3327</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Harriet Hodgson &#8211; Nobody expects multiple losses.  If and when they come the pain is unbearable.  ?Who should you grieve first?  How long will you grieve?  Will you ever be happy again?  You want to escape the pain, but it is this pain &#8211; a journey through darkness &#8211; that leads to healing. Pat [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=multiple-losses-start-with-the-pain/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Multiple Losses: When the Tears of Grief Return</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=multiple-losses-when-the-tears-of-grief-return</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=multiple-losses-when-the-tears-of-grief-return#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2009 09:20:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[anger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[belongings, funerals, money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=3320</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Harriet Hodgson &#8211; Recovering from multiple losses takes time, grief work, and years of self-examination. You do not recover from multiple losses, you learn to live with them. The process requires acceptance, reconciliation, and the creation of a new life. I have lived all of these things. In February of 2007, my daughter died [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=multiple-losses-when-the-tears-of-grief-return/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Last Goodbye: Clearing Out Our Deceased Daughter&#8217;s House</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=clearing-out-our-deceased-daughter%e2%80%99s-house-the-last-goodbye</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=clearing-out-our-deceased-daughter%e2%80%99s-house-the-last-goodbye#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 May 2008 20:31:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[belongings, funerals, money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/hope/healing-the-grieving-heart-radio/qa/clearing-out-our-deceased-daughter%e2%80%99s-house-the-last-goodbye/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Seventeen months ago our daughter died from the injuries she received in a car crash.? Since that tragic accident we have walked with grief every day.? We have also become a GRGs &#8212; grandparents raising grandchildren.? My husband and I are the legal guardians of 16-year-old, fraternal twins.? Raising them is our new life mission [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=clearing-out-our-deceased-daughter%e2%80%99s-house-the-last-goodbye/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Finding Hope After the Death of a Child</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=finding-hope-after-the-death-of-a-child</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=finding-hope-after-the-death-of-a-child#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 04:45:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/?p=5</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Harriet Hodgson I am still in shock at the death of my daughter, the 45-year-old mother of twins.  The shock of her death in a car crash will be with me forever.  Fortunately, I am blessed to have twin grandchildren and my new mission in life is caring for them.  My husband and I [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=finding-hope-after-the-death-of-a-child/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Anticipatory Grief and Holidays:  12 Survival Tips</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-and-holidays-12-survival-tips1</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-and-holidays-12-survival-tips1#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Nov 2007 19:47:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anniversaries, Birthdays, Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiple Deaths]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/hope/hope-message/anticipatory-grief-and-holidays-12-survival-tips/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Anticipatory grief &#8211; a feeling of loss before a death or dreaded event occurs &#8211; is a hard journey. Holidays make it even harder. At a time when you&#8217;re supposed to feel happy and joyful, you feel sad and anxious. You&#8217;re on pins and needles and wonder what will happen next. Remember, your grief stems [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-and-holidays-12-survival-tips1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Recovering From My Daughter’s Sudden and Tragic Death</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=recovering-from-my-daughters-sudden-and-tragic-death1</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=recovering-from-my-daughters-sudden-and-tragic-death1#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jun 2007 23:50:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grieving Styles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[anger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guilt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs and connections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/hope/hope-message/recovering-from-my-daughters-sudden-and-tragic-death/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Grieving is hard work.  It is really hard for me because I am grieving for three loved ones at once &#8212; my daughter, who was killed in a car crash, my father-in-law, who succumbed to pneumonia, and my brother who died of cancer.  All of these deaths were painful, but my daughter&#8217;s death was the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=recovering-from-my-daughters-sudden-and-tragic-death1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why Don’t We Talk About Anticipatory Grief?</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=why-dont-we-talk-about-anticipatory-grief1</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=why-dont-we-talk-about-anticipatory-grief1#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:22:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/hope/hope-message/why-dont-we-talk-about-anticipatory-grief/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I know anticipatory grief &#8211; a feeling of loss before a death or dreaded event occurs &#8211; far too well. My mother suffered from probable Alzheimer&#8217;s disease and I was her caregiver for nine years. As time passed she lost the ability to reason, track numbers, read a book, understand TV, create sentences, and finally, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=why-dont-we-talk-about-anticipatory-grief1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Anticipatory Grief of Dementia</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-anticipatory-grief-of-dementia1</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-anticipatory-grief-of-dementia1#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:21:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Parent]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/hope/hope-message/the-anticipatory-grief-of-dementia/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Dementia &#8211; the loss of intelligence, reasoning, memory, and will &#8211; is an awful thing to happen to anyone. There are many causes of dementia: Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, stroke, thyroid problems, poor nutrition, drug interactions, brain tumor, and degenerative disease. I was my mother&#8217;s caregiver for nine years and watched, helplessly, as dementia changed her appearance, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=the-anticipatory-grief-of-dementia1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Anticipatory Grief Work: What is It and How Do You Do It?</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-work-what-is-it-and-how-do-you-do-it-21</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-work-what-is-it-and-how-do-you-do-it-21#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Nov 2006 17:53:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/hope/hope-message/anticipatory-grief-work-what-is-it-and-how-do-you-do-it-2/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;re going through anticipatory grief you&#8217;ve probably heard of &#8220;grief work.&#8221; Health professionals may use the term without explaining it. Anticipatory grief is so draining and confusing you may not have a clear picture of your grief work. What is it? How can you accomplish it? &#8220;Grief work includes the processes that a mourner [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-work-what-is-it-and-how-do-you-do-it-21/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Helping a Friend Who is Coping With Anticipatory Grief</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=helping-a-friend-who-is-coping-with-anticipatory-grief1</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=helping-a-friend-who-is-coping-with-anticipatory-grief1#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Nov 2006 18:02:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Helping Others]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/hope/hope-message/helping-a-friend-who-is-coping-with-anticipatory-grief/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Friends share their lives with each other. You swap stories, laugh at silly jokes, and discuss tough issues. Whether it&#8217;s before death or after, no issue is tougher than grief. &#8220;Close friends can make the critical difference in our coping with grief,&#8221; writes Judy Tatelbaum in &#8220;The Courage to Grieve.&#8221; You want to help your [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=helping-a-friend-who-is-coping-with-anticipatory-grief1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
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		<title>Anticipatory Grief Symptoms: What’s the Big Deal?</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-symptoms-whats-the-big-deal1</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-symptoms-whats-the-big-deal1#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Nov 2006 17:57:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/hope/hope-message/anticipatory-grief-symptoms-whats-the-big-deal/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Anticipatory grief has been described as a &#8220;normal process,&#8221; but life is far from normal if you&#8217;re going through it. Some experts list symptoms in broad terms, and others list them in detail. Short list or long, anticipatory grief symptoms are jarring. You may have bouts of crying, for example, a symptom that upsets you [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-symptoms-whats-the-big-deal1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Anticipatory Grief Work: What is It and How Do You Do It?</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-work-what-is-it-and-how-do-you-do-it1</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-work-what-is-it-and-how-do-you-do-it1#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Nov 2006 00:55:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/hope/hope-message/anticipatory-grief-work-what-is-it-and-how-do-you-do-it/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;re going through anticipatory grief you&#8217;ve probably heard of &#8220;grief work.&#8221; Health professionals may use the term without explaining it. Anticipatory grief is so draining and confusing you may not have a clear picture of your grief work. What is it? How can you accomplish it? &#8220;Grief work includes the processes that a mourner [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=anticipatory-grief-work-what-is-it-and-how-do-you-do-it1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Grief: Remember Your Loved One With a Memory Cook Book</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=grief-remember-your-loved-one-with-a-memory-cook-book1</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=grief-remember-your-loved-one-with-a-memory-cook-book1#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Nov 2006 19:13:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Death of a Parent]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://test.opentohope.com/hope/hope-message/grief-remember-your-loved-one-with-a-memory-cook-book/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After the death of a loved one some families make quilts from their loved one&#8217;s clothes. Other families compile memory books. I did something different for my family; I made a memory cook book. After my mother-in-law died my sister-in-law and I looked through her old recipe box. Actually, there were four boxes, and the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=grief-remember-your-loved-one-with-a-memory-cook-book1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Shared Anticipatory Grief: How One Club Faced It and Members Coped Together</title>
		<link>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=shared-anticipatory-grief-how-one-club-faced-it-and-members-coped-together1</link>
		<comments>http://www.opentohope.com/?post=shared-anticipatory-grief-how-one-club-faced-it-and-members-coped-together1#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Nov 2006 20:44:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harriet Hodgson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Friend]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grief & Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Helping Others]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Other Losses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[I belong to The Study Club, a group founded in 1882 to educate women. The Study Club was an outgrowth of the Chautauqua Assemblies and its motto was &#8220;We Study for Light to Bless With Light.&#8221; Similar clubs were founded at the time and they have all faded away. Though my club still exists, it [...]]]></description>
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