Open to Hope Articles

Articles Home

Poem: I Promise You This

Posted on January 8, 2010 - by Deborah Tornillo

It doesn’t matter What age you are. When a loved one dies It’s very, very hard. I was sweet sixteen When my brother died. I shut down Never once, did I cry. Over the years I’ve learned to accept. As a man, a soldier He fought to protect. He accepted his orders And, took command. But, why did they leave him In a far away land? Many, many years Letters came to remind. No soldier – their comrade Would be left behind. Mother and Dad Never gave up hope. It was all they could do In order to cope. One […]

Finding a Reason to Get Up in the Morning

Posted on January 8, 2010 - by Harriet Hodgson

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 — grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, paying bills and home repairs. What a bummer. I had many questions after my daughter and father-in-law died the same weekend in 2007. More questions came to mind when my brother and former son-in-law died several months later. Though I didn’t find all the answers, I found new ways to cope. You may be doing this now. Laura T. Becker, […]

Poem: A Thousand Words

Posted on January 7, 2010 - by Deborah Tornillo

Your eyes follow me everywhere Never breaking their gaze. When I look into them I’m lost and in a daze. Your eyes always speak to me Sending a loving message From the heavenly kingdom You’re now rejoicing in. Your eyes follow me everywhere Never breaking their gaze. They sparkle with a smile Setting my tear drops ablaze. Your pictures are everywhere Because of my undying love. You’re my mother and father That I wished I could hug. Pictures speak a thousand words You guide me throughout my day. I miss you Mom and Dad In the most heartfelt way. Deborah […]

How to Help a Child Cope With Pet-Loss

Posted on January 7, 2010 - by Linda Goldman

Five-year-old Greg was sad. His pet gerbil, Jasper, had died. Jasper was lying in the cage very still. Greg started screaming and crying and Mom ran into the room to see what happened. “Something is wrong with Jasper. He isn’t moving. I’m scared.” Mom had a tear in her eye. “Jasper died, sweetie.” Greg put his hands over his ears. “No! No! That can’t be true.” Here are some questions and possible answers that might follow. Greg: What does dead mean? Mom: Death means when the body stops working. Sometimes people die when they are very, very, very old, or […]

When Canceling a Holiday is Not an Option

Posted on January 6, 2010 - by Coralease Ruff

Holidays and other special days are times that we miss our loved ones more acutely. It is these family gatherings where everyone is joyful that make the void feel more enormous. After suffering through my first Easter, first Mother’s Day, my daughter’s birthday, my birthday and all of the other special days, I knew Christmas would be unbearable. I didn’t know how I could possibly survive it. The first Christmas of my bereavement, I wanted to keep the spirit of the season at least for our surviving son who was experiencing more pain than any 18-year-old should ever have to […]

Poem: A Living Death

Posted on January 5, 2010 - by Deborah Tornillo

Alzheimer’s – A living death Mental deterioration A slow suffocation. A Caregiver’s love Hugging, kissing, holding Hope – from above. Out of control Loved one lost in space In a black hole. Alzheimer’s – A living death A reality, so cruel Until the very last breath. Deborah Ann Tornillo Copyright© 2010 http://www.deborahtornillo.com

Poem: A New Year

Posted on January 4, 2010 - by Deborah Tornillo

A New Year is here What will it bring? Happiness or sorrow You’ll know tomorrow. Last year is behind us This year lies ahead. Is life pre-determined? Do we have free will? New Year’s resolutions Will we abide? Or, will we simply toss Our resolutions aside? Life is pre-determined And, we have free will. Happiness or sorrow You’ll know tomorrow. Deborah Ann Tornillo Copyright© 2010 http://www.deborahtornillo.com

Without My Twin: Reflections On A Road Traveled

Posted on January 4, 2010 - by Linda Pountney

A new twin joined our twinloss Yahoo group. He has recently lost his twin. I related to his words about how we draw strength from our connection to our twin. The intrinsic nature of twin connectedness was made clearer for me. It is this connection or bond that when severed, brought in the feelings of aloneness like none I have ever known. With facing my grief and learning to reach out in trust to others, this aloneness has changed to something that nurtures me in the tough times… my twinship. Fierce and uncontrollable, my fury at my twin Paula’s sudden […]

Helping Children Grieve During the Holidays

Posted on January 3, 2010 - by Pamela Gabbay

The holiday season is painful for adults after the death of a loved one, but it can be even more isolating and distressing for children if they are not given ample guidance from the adults in their lives. Here are some suggestions for how to help your children during the holidays: 1. Suppress the urge to ignore the holidays because they seem too painful to endure. It’s important that children are given the opportunity to celebrate the holidays without feeling bad or feeling guilty. After all, they still have a need to “just be a kid,” especially during the holidays. […]

Creating a Fresh Palette in Your Home for 2011

Posted on January 3, 2010 - by Susan Reynolds

The new year dawns. Fresh starts. Newly formed commitments. Anticipation and hope of greater, grander or simply a gentler existence. In and through grief, the past wafts by us unexpectedly with its pleasures and its challenges. The new year brings for us a time to reassess which things to carry along with us , which outlooks in our mind and which outlooks in our surroundings. Working with therapists and life coaches, the emphasis lies in changing the inside thoughts to bring changes to the outer side of life. I have also found that sometimes the reverse can spur me onward, […]