Open to Hope Articles

Do you want to read stories of others who have been where you are? Are you looking for bereavement help, and advice? Look no further. We offer over 7,000 articles written by our Open to Hope authors.

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Merry Go Round and Round: Rhythms of Grief

Posted on January 22, 2024 - by Elizabeth Brady

Merry Go Round My mom made it a priority to take me and my siblings to the Smithsonian to visit the touring exhibits that came through the D.C. museums. I […]

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Seeking Comfort after a Child Dies

Posted on January 8, 2024 - by Nina Norstrom

Pain After a Child Dies I’ll say this clearly: parents aren’t expected to live to bury their children. And when we do, the impact can be heartbreaking, devastating. Although the […]

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Finding a Path Through Unresolved Grief

Posted on January 8, 2024 - by Lori Grande

The First Moments of Grief After landing at Miami International Airport on the evening of June 8th, 2005, I hopped in a friend’s car and said, “Take me to William.”  […]

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The Shock of Losing a Child

Posted on January 8, 2024 - by Lo Anne Mayer

Returning to the Place Excitement coursed through my veins as I anticipated my appointment in Glastonbury, England.  Thirteen years had passed since I stood in this exact spot.  I couldn’t […]

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Coping with Traumatic Loss of Daughter

Posted on January 3, 2024 - by Harriet Hodgson

What is Traumatic Loss? In 2007, the traumatic loss of my daughter became imprinted in my mind forever. A traumatic loss is sudden, unexpected, and happens without warning. The loss […]

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Happy New Year is Tough on Bereaved Parents

Posted on January 1, 2024 - by Alice Wisler

  When the ball at Times Square drops, champagne corks pop. Ample hugs and kisses are dispensed all around. A new year, new hope, new ventures, new possibilities. Wow, it’s […]

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The Lonely Year for Widows

Posted on December 28, 2023 - by Harriet Hodgson

The Lonely Year for Widows After so many losses in one year, loneliness was personal for me. We’d had Golden Retrievers for years, and I missed them. One dog was […]

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A Christmas Promise

Posted on December 25, 2023 - by Larry Patten

A Christmas Promise On a long-ago Christmas Eve, I made my last visit to a patient as her hospice chaplain. I was honoring a promise made weeks before. While a […]

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The Last Christmas Stocking

Posted on December 24, 2023 - by Lisa Irish

The First Christmas Stocking The first Christmas stocking I ever made was in 1960. I was 10 years old and living in Walnut Creek, California with my parents, Ted and […]

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Wishing the Holidays Would Go Away: Tips for Coping

Posted on December 21, 2023 - by Mary Joye

Holiday Pain Many people love the first crisp, nip of fall in the air. To those who are grieving, it can coldly cut deep into the spirit and re-open the […]

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