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Celebrate Valentine’s Day Everyday

Posted on March 6, 2013 - by Diane Dettmann

First posted by Women’s Voices for Change: www.womensvoicesforchange.org During our twenty-eight years of marriage, my husband and I celebrated Valentine’s Day in various ways. Many Valentine’s evenings involved an elegant dinner at a nice restaurant and flowers with messages like, “Diane, all of my love through all our years.” On Valentine’s Day in 1991, during my master’s program, I arrived home exhausted from my long evening in class. John greeted me at the door dressed in a partially buttoned tuxedo shirt and black dress slacks. After a hug and welcome home kiss, I followed him into the dining room. The […]

Son’s Death a Nightmare That Ends In Hope

Posted on March 6, 2013 - by Marilyn Burns

I started my career in mental health over 30 years ago. I genuinely wanted to help people to feel better. I have many highlights in my career, and the one that I am most proud of was the building and directing of the holistic health center that I opened in 1996. This was significant for many reasons but most importantly, it was a future for my son, Christopher. Chris had hopes of getting a degree in social work and taking over my practice as I moved toward retirement. His hopes were to be a substance abuse counselor. My oldest son, […]

The Promise of New Life

Posted on March 4, 2013 - by Donna Miesbach

A year after my husband died, I went out West to visit our Portland kids. While I was there, our son suggested we drive up into Washington State to see Mt. St. Helens. It had been four years since that final eruption and we were curious to see what it was like now. What we found was mind boggling. As far as we could see, there were trees stripped bare of their bark, lying neatly arranged like matchsticks on the sides of the mountains. As we came around a bend, we noticed a big sign and an overlook so we stopped. […]

Loss of a Child is the Hardest Goodbye

Posted on March 4, 2013 - by Randah Hamadeh

I had always dreaded goodbyes, feared separating from my family all my life and was destined to face the hardest separation of all. Since the day I started going to boarding school, my only fear in life was separation as I went to boarding school at the age of six. At my first boarding school, I had my older sisters with me and two years later my younger brother joined the boys’ school and I was able to see him during school days as the young boys came daily to our school until grade 3. I remember that I spent […]

Caregiving Strategy: Taking It Easy When I Can

Posted on March 4, 2013 - by Anne Hamilton

Since September, 2012, I have been writing a series of articles entitled, “A Forever Decision” based on my experience of losing my beloved dog Camilla. In October, I found that my Uncle Steve has terminal cancer. Uncle Steve is my favorite uncle and is one of the most important people in my life. I continued writing about coping with the grief of his impending loss, as well as day to day challenges involved in caring for him. The articles grew into a larger work of art. I hope that my writing will help others who visit the Open to Hope […]

Anniversary Reactions and a Strange Week

Posted on March 2, 2013 - by Harriet Hodgson

February 23rd was the sixth anniversary of my daughter’s death. A week before this day came, my mind was filled with memories of my daughter. I remembered the sugar-free apple pies she baked for us. I remembered how much fun she had with her twins. I remembered her sitting on our living room floor, laughing uproariously, and slapping her knee. Some unhappy memories also came to mind and I accepted them. “I’m going to be okay,” I told myself. But things weren’t okay and I kept making mistakes, silly mistakes I wouldn’t ordinarily make. For example, I sent my graphic […]

Sorting Out Life: Remembering a Mother by Her Scent

Posted on February 28, 2013 - by Marta Dorton

I sat on the dusty wide-planked floor of my attic and sorted through stored memories. I struggled with the final decisions of how much attraction, or need, that I truly held for each item. Dozens, sometimes hundreds, of decisions waited in every box. Piles expanded for things to keep and for things that needed to go. A stack to sell, another for Goodwill or giveaway to family and friends. As I added to the get-rid-of section, I noticed Mom’s walker folded and laying on the pink insulation. She passed away five years ago. I walked across the wooden floorboards, stooped […]

Spirit Lifters for Tough Times

Posted on February 28, 2013 - by Donna Miesbach

One of the most important things you can do when you are experiencing grief is to take care of yourself. Nurturing yourself allows your healing to truly begin. Here are some things you can do to make life a little easier when the going gets rough. 1. Make sure you get plenty of rest. Eat nourishing food, not only so you can have the stamina you need, but so your body can have the energy it needs to process the stress you are experiencing. Get some exercise, even if that only means going for a walk. Exercise gets those spirit-lifting […]

Accepting Help from Others

Posted on February 25, 2013 - by Anne Hamilton

A Journey of Self- Discovery After Loss: Why We Are All Analog Kids

Posted on February 24, 2013 - by David Roberts

Wallowing Through The Muck The boy lies in the grass with one blade Stuck between his teeth A vague sensation quickens In his young and restless heart And a bright and nameless vision Has him longing to depart Lyrics by Neil Peart -From the song, The Analog Kid by Rush The pain of early grief after the death of our children makes children of us all. We have to learn how to walk again in a world that has now become changed due to catastrophic loss; a loss that defies the laws of the universe. The values […]