The Open to Hope Community

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Articles:

I Lost the Most Kind Hearted, Passionate and Loving Person I Will Ever Know

?I met Paul Saunders a 25 year old carpenter from Stotfold at a club and we hit it off. The most kind hearted passionate and loving person i will ever know.He was perfect for me. we liked the same things. We went on holiday in January to Lanzarote and that was when we both realised we really were ment to be together. He will always have a place in my heart.He had recently bought a house and we were busy decorating it so that we could move in. Life was perfect, we were so happy. We were going to move […]

Happy Birthday America

? ? Today let’s all remember our sons and daughters, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, relatives and friends who died in an effort to maintain our own liberty and? the? freedom of those around the world. And let us pray for those who grieve their deep loss.

A Poem for Leah

– I?m a little over a year without Leah and the yearning has resurfaced- hard. I have to brace myself when I visit public spots. Plus I have the summer task of cleaning out and selling my little house where she lived and died. Poetry try #1 Leah I?m in hell here My reality is I?m here but you are there I cant reach you Laura says I?ll see you again Buddha says I need to work with my mind Insatiable lust for leah Will we ever be back? To touch each other So that I can gaze on your […]

Why Grief Lingers On and On

Grief and grieving is inevitable because we choose to love. And it can be argued that it lingers on and on because we refuse to learn to love in separation and complete a primary task: acceptance of the loss and the many changes demanded. However, there are a number of old beliefs that we have learned about grief from the authority figures in our lives that have a major impact on the length of time we grieve and the amount of unnecessary suffering we endure. For example, some people believe you must grieve for a year, grieve for the most […]

Poem: Shopping (after the death of my daughter)

“May I help you?” The answer is always, “No, thank you” And then I say I am fine When in reality my words are nothing more than lies. My heart is so weary Of trying to pretend I am feeling cheery. Behind those laughing eyes Lies pain on the face in whose falsehood lies. Broken heart and broken dreams A false facade hides in those unheard screams. Pain no one could ever imagine Fights a fight that no one can ever win. “May I help you?” The clerk repeats And again I say, “No,” as our eyes meet. Things are […]

Surviving the Murder of a Child

Note:?Below is an email?dialogue that can be helpful to many.?Sharon’s comments are in regular type and Dr. Gloria’s response is in bolded italics.?? Hi Dr. Horsley, My name is Sharon and I live in St. Louis Mo.? I am a survivor of a daughter, murdered in March, 2000. Her name is/was Cara’.? ?First, I want you to know I am sorry for your loss.? Losing a child is devastating. I am in the process of doing a research paper on Bereavement – The Aftermath of Homicide.? However, I am researching the question on the grieving process – Is there a […]

You Are Invited to be a Participant in a TV Documentary

What is it? We’re conducting a nation-wide search for real families of all sizes, ethnicities, economic and religious backgrounds that are willing to share their ‘secrets of success’ for a new documentary television series entitled: Real Families Real Answers In the show, your real family could be featured with the experts to illustrate what families across the country are doing to not only survive, but thrive in today?s fast paced and ever changing society.

Sunday is Father’s Day: How will you spend your day? Let us hear from you.

Father’s Day is coming up this Sunday.? We know?for some dads this will be a difficult day.? We know for many there might be feelings of loss and sadness.? Dad’s are?people who like to fix things and losing a loved one cannot be fixed.? As with any holiday we would suggest that you plan your day.? You might want to plan a project like planting a?tree or writing a letter to your child on this special day.? Remember that if you have other children in the family they will be excited about honoring their dad so?take in the?love that they […]

What You Should Know About Differences in Mourning Styles

Have you ever considered why some people show little outward expression of emotion when a loved one dies and others seem not to be able to control the outpouring of feelings? Or have you ever made the mistake of judging that someone is not as sad as you expected the person would be? These are important questions because the answers you decide on will heavily influence the way you relate to and help the bereaved. Judging the depth of pain and sadness in anyone who is grieving is a non-starter at best, but to believe that the outward expression of […]

Why You Should Write When Mourning

Writing is a form of self-expression that can be a major factor in how you cope with the death of your loved one. This can be especially important as a supplement to having a small support system or if you live alone. It may also be a special skill you possess that can give you additional satisfaction when expressing yourself. On the other hand, anyone can write. You don’t have to be a good writer or speller to use writing as a potent tool to cope with the death of a loved one. Nor do you have to write a […]

Open to Hope is an online community offering inspirational stories of loss, hope and recovery. We believe hope is the bridge between loss and recovery.