Open to Hope Articles

Articles Home

Handling Guilt Reactions

Posted on August 29, 2009 - by Sandy Fox

by Sandy Fox It is the two year anniversary of my friend’s daughter’s death. Whether she died from an overdose of drugs by accident or on purpose will never be known. What is known is that she did abuse drugs. Her entire life her mom tried to help her only child in any way she could. The end result: as hard as she may have tried, she couldn’t save her. She now lives with the guilt that only a mother can have, a guilt quite undeserved. Her story reminds me of two stories in my book showing two very different guilt […]

Film Review: Departures

Posted on August 28, 2009 - by Elizabeth DeVita-Raeburn

“Departures” is the story of Daigo Kobayashi, a passionate cellist with a dream job in an orchestra, who finds himself abruptly out of job — and in huge debt for a very pricey cello — when the orchestra dissolves. What do you do when your dream has fizzled and you’ve got to re-group? You go home, and you look for another job. Daigo and his apparently unflappable wife, Miko, head to Hirano, in northeastern Japan, where Daigo grew up. Daigo has inherited the house he grew up in from his mother, who died while he was abroad some years earlier. […]

The First Support Group Meeting

Posted on August 27, 2009 - by Monica Novak

By Monica Novak – When our daughter Miranda was stillborn 14 years ago, despite the love and support from family and friends, my husband Al and I often felt a strange aloneness, as if we were existing in another world emotionally separated from everything and everyone around us. My saving grace became the local Share support group, a place where everyone understood. It’s sometimes difficult to build up the courage to attend your first support group meeting – it was for us – but the benefits are innumerable and immeasurable. You’re about to read the first chapter of my book, […]

Back to School Time Can Be Difficult

Posted on August 26, 2009 - by Monica Novak

By Monica Novak – It was July and summer was still in full-swing when the seasonal patio furniture began to quietly disappear from local stores. I knew what was coming, but said nothing. Before long, the signs and bins began going up, and children either delighted or groaned. Parents, too, either delighted or groaned. Back to School clothes and supplies were arriving and the ads were everywhere. But this annual ritual can be a painful reminder for some. Parents who lost a baby three years ago don’t get to shop for the first backpack, something small and cute with ponies […]

The things you miss…

Posted on August 26, 2009 - by Eric Tomei

One of my patients in the clinic was telling me about how his shoulder problem was preventing him for throwing with his son who is a pitcher on his baseball team. In fact that was his number one goal to throw a baseball again and throw it well with his son. It was exciting to talk to someone who had such a passion for the game as he played it just like I did. He was outlining his throwing motion to me and I was dissecting it and determining what exercises would be best for his particular situation. Having played […]

Angel of Hope Memorial

Posted on August 25, 2009 - by admin

By Carol O’Dell — Amelia Island, FL, has an angel. It stands just past the intersection of 8th and Atlantic. The childlike face lifts toward the sky, arms outstretched as though holding something invisible, and bronzed wings gleam against the stark Florida sun. The inscription at the bottom of the statue reads, “Angel of Hope.” It is encircled by a short brick wall and eight benches with a loved one’s name on each one. I found this “Angel of Hope” one afternoon on a photography/bike trek around the island. I stopped to take a picture and began to read. The inscription […]

Grief Groups vs Reading Books

Posted on August 22, 2009 - by Sandy Fox

by Sandy Fox Why do some bereaved parents go to a grief group? 1. We need to be with people who understand what we are going through. Only someone who has been there can identify with us completely. 2. We will find new friends and closer bonds than we ever thought possible. 3. We can be ourselves there. We can cry when we need to and not worry about being embarrassed. We can hug others whether we know the person or not. 4. We need to talk to someone who is a good listener as we remember our children and […]

‘Best’ Music for Healing is Music You Love

Posted on August 21, 2009 - by Tony Falzano

This is the last in a series of four (4) articles on music and how it acts as a healing agent for those who grieve a loss. In earlier sessions, we discussed the health benefits of listening to music and examined its use to direct attention away from our uneasy surroundings. Last month, we explored how music acts as a companion when we are alone. This month, we’ll look at some ideas on music styles that may benefit listeners as they move through the grief process. There are times when I speak to hospice and grief organizations about the benefits […]

Child Grief Camp Director Shares Activities that Work

Posted on August 21, 2009 - by Pamela Gabbay

I have just returned home from our third annual Camp Erin, a most magical place where children and teens can laugh and cry, celebrate and commemorate. Camp Erin is a grief camp that is held each year in the mountains of Big Bear in California. Kids from all walks of life come together with a common bond; they’ve all had someone very special in their life who has died. Some kids have lost a mother or a father, a brother or sister, a grandparent or a best friend. They come to Camp Erin not knowing what to expect. A grief camp […]

Sand Dollar Helps Mom Deal With Tidal Waves in Life

Posted on August 21, 2009 - by Yvonne Lancaster

The creamy white sand dollars felt velvety and cool moving through my fingers. I had removed them from the kitchen windowsill, attempting to examine them more closely. I was hoping to discover something new about them, hoping to learn why they are so good at surviving constant changes. Sand dollars, introduced to me by my now-deceased son, have spawned many stories. “Legends of the Sand Dollar” is the tale of five doves that live inside a sand dollar; when the sand dollar is opened, it spreads good will and peace. Equally sweet is another legend that declares that sand dollars are mermaid’s money, […]