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My Grief Process: Pain an ‘Exquisite Form of Love’

Posted on January 10, 2014 - by Elizabeth Wagele

The complete version of this was written by J. J. a year after the deaths of her daughter and granddaughter. It was published in Elizabeth Wagele’s book, The Enneagram of Death and excerpted in The Career Within You blog on Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-career-within-you/201301/healing-after-terrible-loss I write to make sense of the year since the untimely death of my daughter and my 11-year-old granddaughter in a single car accident. I’ve known for a long time that life is a preparation for death. Still, I get confused and long for someone in my wandering to show me a clear path. I know the […]

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Moving Forward After a Suicide

Posted on January 10, 2014 - by Lisa Khuraibet

Today is January 10. It is a date that holds significance; it is the day my father died by suicide. It will be 25 years since his passing and yet, this year feels particularly difficult for me. Perhaps it is the realization that I lost him when I was a young woman or that I could have easily gone that way as I was going through my own divorce. I’m not sure what it is. It could just be the haunting memory of it. I remember when I got the phone call. My mother’s friend called. I did not believe […]

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Looking for Hope in the New Year

Posted on January 9, 2014 - by Maria Kubitz

For many, welcoming in the New Year is a celebration of optimism and hope. Many see it as a fresh start and a chance to take steps to improve both their lives and perhaps themselves. Of course, this isn’t a view shared by all. For the newly bereaved, the New Year can be an incredibly painful milestone. Thinking back to the first New Year after the death of my daughter four years ago, I was blindsided by how painful it was for me. She died on September 30, so I had been preoccupied with overwhelming anxiety over how I was […]

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What Does God Think About Suicide Victims?

Posted on January 7, 2014 - by Max Lucado

Suicide victims battled life’s rawest contests. They often faced a mental illness or illnesses and felt the peril of mental fatigue. What you and I take for granted, they coveted. Optimism. Hope. Confidence that all will be well. Their clouds had no silver linings; their storms had no rainbows. Didn’t we wonder, Why couldn’t he snap out of this slump . . . shrug off this case of the blues . . . buck up and move forward? Of course, had the struggle been a physical one, we wouldn’t have asked those questions. Of cancer patients we don’t ask, “Why […]

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Open to hope

What Does God Think About Suicide Victims?

Posted on January 7, 2014 - by Max Lucado

Suicide victims battled life’s rawest contests. They often faced a mental illness or illnesses and felt the peril of mental fatigue. What you and I take for granted, they coveted. Optimism. Hope. Confidence that all will be well. Their clouds had no silver linings; their storms had no rainbows. Didn’t we wonder, Why couldn’t he snap out of this slump . . . shrug off this case of the blues . . . buck up and move forward? Of course, had the struggle been a physical one, we wouldn’t have asked those questions. Of cancer patients we don’t ask, “Why […]

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Winter Grief, Spring Healing

Posted on January 3, 2014 - by John Pete

This time of year can be especially difficult for many who are grieving a personal losses. The December holidays have come and gone, and the days are long and dreary for many. It sometimes  feels as if the warmth of Spring may never get here, but instead of waiting for light at then end of the long dark tunnel of Winter, you can create a beacon of light for yourself! You have the power to inspire renewal and hope within yourself at times when you may need it most. Many of us enjoy special gardens and other projects that foster healing while also honoring our loved ones. And the long […]

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Open to hope

Winter Grief, Spring Healing

Posted on January 3, 2014 - by John Pete

This time of year can be especially difficult for many who are grieving a personal losses. The December holidays have come and gone, and the days are long and dreary for many. It sometimes feels as if the warmth of Spring may never get here, but instead of waiting for light at then end of the long dark tunnel of Winter, you can create a beacon of light for yourself! You have the power to inspire renewal and hope within yourself at times when you may need it most. Many of us enjoy special gardens and other projects that foster […]

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New Year’s Resolutions for the Caregiver

Posted on January 2, 2014 - by Carol O'Dell

By Carol O’Dell —

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New Year’s Resolutions After a Spouse-Loss

Posted on January 1, 2014 - by Laurie Spector & Ruth Spector Webster

Give yourself a big pat on the back! You’ve just survived the holidays, one of the toughest times for anyone grieving a loss. Now you’re probably looking ahead and wondering how you’ll ever make it through the next twelve months. Here are five suggestions to help gently ease you along the bumpy road of bereavement: 1. Remember to keep any resolutions realistic. You’re not your usual self while you’re grieving, so be gentle with yourself. 2. Set at least one small, “bite-size” goal every day, such as tackling a couple of tasks. Be sure to reward yourself after each effort. […]

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Good-bye to Good-byes

Posted on December 30, 2013 - by Max Lucado

Good-bye. No one wants to say it. Not the spouse of an astronaut. Not the mom of a soon-to-be preschooler. Not the father of the bride. Not the husband in the convalescent home. Not the wife in the funeral home. Especially not her. Death is the most difficult good-bye of all. I write these words freshly reminded of the ache of saying good-bye. Our church has had five funerals in the last seven days, from the memorial for a baby to the burial of a ninety-four-year-old friend. The sorrow took its toll on me. I found myself moping about, sad. […]

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