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Searching for Meaning in Life

Posted on April 23, 2013 - by Diane Dettmann

Alone after the sudden death of my 54 year-old husband, I struggled to figure out who I was and where I was headed in life. Trying to find the “Diane” within, I reconnected with hobbies of the past and at the same time, tried new adventures. The following excerpt from my memoir, Twenty-Eight Snow Angels: A Widow’s Story of Love, Loss and Renewal, is about my first kayaking experience on Lake Superior at the Bluefin Bay Resort in Tofte, Minnesota in 2005. Little did I know that paddling along the “Big Lake” would trigger a turning point in my grief […]

The Paradox of Great Change

Posted on April 23, 2013 - by Donna Miesbach

When great change comes into our lives, we may feel as though we are in a foreign land. All seems strange and different somehow, and we may feel hesitant or unsure as to how to proceed. To be sure, a door has opened before us, a door that perhaps we may not wish to go through. And yet, we must proceed in one way or another. Life does go on, and so must we. The question, then, becomes – how do we proceed? Always we have a choice, and much depends on how we exercise that prerogative. Change can be […]

Helping Others Helps the Griever

Posted on April 22, 2013 - by Mary Jane Clayton

As I read about the grieving process, I noticed many suggest we should do something nice for someone else. It’s hard to think of reaching out to another person when you feel so broken, but doing so opens our eyes to the fact that there are still good things going on in life and being a part of them will lift us up. It may be a temporary fix, but even a temporary fix feels good. No matter how simple or elaborate it may be, it always works. When you give, you receive. While working on my book, Brittany’s Rose, […]

Don’t Turn the Deceased into Perfect Person

Posted on April 20, 2013 - by Melinda Richarz Lyons

After you lose someone you love very much, it is only natural to think about that person in a very positive way. But sometimes we can go too far, and if we do, we end up with unrealistic memories. I know my husband, Sid, was very bothered when a friend of his died, and his wife promptly turned him into a saint. Sid scolded me about that, saying, “When I go, don’t turn me into some super guy!” Of course to me, he was a super guy. But after he died, I tried to remember those words. We are all […]

Springtime Thoughts Lead to Children Who Have Died

Posted on April 19, 2013 - by Sandy Fox

After an unusually, stormy, cold winter all over the nation, spring has finally arrived. The days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, and the flowers are now blooming. Along with nature’s beauty comes thoughts of our children who are no longer with us. Oh, how they, too, would love the beautiful sunsets, seeing the return of the birds from the south and perhaps experience a new crop or newly born animals coming out of their winter shelters. But they will not see any of this, and it makes me very sad to think not only what we parents […]

Bereaved Parent Lives Life in Kairos Time

Posted on April 18, 2013 - by Harriet Hodgson

Six years have passed since my daughter died from the injuries she received in a car crash. Three other family members died the same year. As I look back on my bereavement journey, I see spikes of grief – a rush of painful feelings – some expected and some unexpected. I also see that multiple losses and time have changed me. Recently I read an article by Elizabeth Harper Neeld, PhD, published on the Legacy Connect website. The article, “How Long is this Grieving Going to Last,” describes two types of time, chronos and kairos. I hadn’t encountered these words […]

What People Don’t Know About Losing A Pet

Posted on April 17, 2013 - by Stan Popovich

By: Stan Popovich As an author of a managing fear book, I have lost a few pets and it was very tough to get over. Anyone who loses a pet knows how difficult it can be to get over a loss. People tell you that they are sorry for your loss but the grief doesn’t go away. What can you do other than talk to a grief counselor and find ways to manage your grief. I took a different route in dealing with my grief. I interviewed many priests and ministers before I published my managing fear book. I also […]

Boston Deaths and Injuries Disrespect the Miracle of Life

Posted on April 17, 2013 - by Harriet Hodgson

When I first heard about the explosions in Boston I took a deep breath. Two explosions would probably cause some deaths. Now I know an eight year old boy was killed and a father’s adult son lost his legs. This news makes me heartsick and brings back some of the feelings I had after my adult daughter died. A child is always your child, no matter his or her age. Having a child die before you goes against nature’s plan. No parent should have to bury a child, yet some are doing that after the Boston terrorist attack. How can […]

Feeding the Soul through Solitude

Posted on April 17, 2013 - by Donna Miesbach

In my previous article, we talked about how, over time, loneliness can change into solitude. When we are in the throes of grief, solitude may not feel very comforting, and yet it is through solitude that we can find the peace – and yes, the joy – we are seeking. Solitude opens the door to a deeper, more complete way of being. As we befriend that quiet inner space, we become more at home with ourselves and find inner strengths we may not have known were there. And so it is that we find another way of being where we […]

Reacting to the Boston Marathon Bombing

Posted on April 16, 2013 - by Gloria Horsley

As Americans, we are again shocked and disturbed by the Boston Marathon bombing. It is unfathomable that such violence could be planned to disturb the annual patriots event in the city that is the very cradle of liberty. My heart goes out to those who have suffered losses and injury, as a bereaved parent I feel their pain. Families must grieve a loss while the world focuses on the “why” and “how.” It has been such a short time since the Newtown massacre, which makes for a very frightening world especially for those who have suffered past trauma. Here are […]