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First Halloween

Posted on October 22, 2009 - by Monica Novak

By Beth Seyda – I usually love Halloween, seeing all the little kids in their cute costumes struggling to hold up their trick or treat bags and trying to say “trick or treat”.  But that first Halloween was only a couple of weeks after our infant son, Dylan, had died and I knew I could not be at home to give out treats this year.  I felt bad about it, but I knew that I would be in no shape to see so many kids. So my husband, Mark, and I decided to see an early movie and have dinner.  […]

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God Will Answer My Prayers

Posted on October 21, 2009 - by Deborah Tornillo

In 1968 my brother, Danny who was 19 years old was killed in Vietnam. At the time, I was 15 years old. His helicopter was shot down and according to eye witnesses exploded in mid-air and then landed on the banks of a river. Because of heavy, enemy ground fire his body was never recovered. To date, he is listed as MIA (Missing in Action). After the loss of my brother several searches were conducted over the years, but no body was recovered. My mother and father lived the remainder of their years grieving deeply, but never gave up hope […]

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Open to Hope Writer Publishes New Edition of ‘Special Dream’

Posted on October 21, 2009 - by Luellen Hoffman

The passing of a loved one can mark a difficult crossroads. Those of us left behind often feel confused, fearful, sad, and even incomplete. In the midst of this grief, some experience dreams where a loved one appears to us, correctly predicting their own death, urging us to carry a message to a relative or simply offering us healing and the chance to say goodbye. Now comes a new edition of Open to Hope writer Luellen Hoffman’s book, Special Dream: Personal Accounts After the Death of a Loved One (Crossroad, an imprint of The Crossroad Publishing Company, September 2009). It’s […]

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Ghosts of Memory: Integrating Our Loss Through Remembering

Posted on October 21, 2009 - by David Roberts

I recently read a book called: Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road, by Neil Peart. Peart is the lyricist and world renowned drummer for the Canadian rock band, Rush.  His daughter Selena, age 19, died on August 10, 1997, as a result of a car accident and his common-law wife, Jackie died on June 20, 1998, of cancer. Peart became a bereaved parent and a young widower in the space of ten months. One year after the death of his daughter, he embarked on a 55,000-mile, fourteen-month journey on his motorcycle across Canada, the United States and Mexico. He […]

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What Does it Mean to ‘Get on with Life’

Posted on October 20, 2009 - by Alice Wisler

Of all the statements and spiritual platitudes quoted to me since my son, Daniel, died, the phrase that I hear most frequently makes me squirm the most. “You have got to get on with your life.” Recently, I quit squirming long enough to ponder the meaning behind this phrase that is usually said to the bereaved in the form of a command. Exactly what does this phrase mean? What are people implying when they say it? I was pregnant when Daniel died and three months later, I gave birth to a baby girl. Wasn’t that getting on with my life? […]

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The Birth of Purpose: Foundation Emerges from Stillbirth

Posted on October 20, 2009 - by Nicole Alston

A mother’s viewpoint of grief: deep and profound Nicole Alston recalls: April 29, 2005, was our due date, and like any typical first-time parents responding to the initial signs of labor, my husband Paul and I dashed to the hospital full of hope and promise. After years of unexplained infertility and a miscarriage in 2003, we had rehearsed this long-awaited occasion countless times. However, there was no dress rehearsal for what happened next. Only minutes after being admitted and taken to a labor and delivery room, our lives took an unex­pected and painful turn. With a quick glance at the monitor, […]

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Thanksgiving

Posted on October 19, 2009 - by Deborah Tornillo

Dad passed away October 9, 2007 and Mom passed 36 days later on November 14, 2007. Today, I can now reflect back and remember how everything in my life had come to a standstill. For a year and half prior to their passing I spent every waking second of my day attending to them. They both had Alzheimer’s and, not only did it strip them of their memory and their life, more importantly it stripped me of who I am. I can now look back and realize that since February of 2006 my life has been on hold. The world […]

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Poem: Shine

Posted on October 19, 2009 - by Deborah Tornillo

Shine There is a light that shines inside all Some days it is so warm and so bright Other days it is cold and just a flicker Leaving us afraid and bitter. When troubles have come our way And we lose our hope and faith Turn to our Lord, Almighty And ask for a little bit of his rays. He’ll give you back your light And, no more will it be just a flicker Instead, you’ll shine so bright Within his warmth and glowing light. Deborah Ann Tornillo Copyright© 2009 http://www.authorsden.com

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Compassionate Self-Forgiveness (Part 2)

Posted on October 19, 2009 - by Irene Kendig

In this post, I’ll use my experience with Ringo (see Part I) to demonstrate compassionate self-forgiveness, a powerful tool in service to inner healing. There are four steps to this process. Step 1. I give voice to my feelings of sadness, frustration, anger and fear. I honor my process by creating a safe space in which I can allow whatever I’m feeling to come forward. I may cry, scream, yell or laugh; I just let it come out without judging it. I do this for myself and with myself in the privacy of a safe space. As I begin to […]

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Compassionate Self-Forgiveness (Part 1)

Posted on October 18, 2009 - by Irene Kendig

I was reflecting today on my dog Ringo, who died after being hit by a car when I was fifteen. As I ran to his side, he acknowledged my presence with one last wag of his tail. I was devastated. I blamed myself for his death. I also blamed my mom, who was at work. I believed that, if she’d been home, this never would have happened. I thought Ringo shouldn’t have died when he did. We are spiritual beings having a human experience rather than humans with spirits. That’s a huge difference, so take a moment to let that […]

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