Laurel D. Rund

It began in 2009 when a life-changing event transformed me into the woman I am today. Never could I have imagined that the death of my husband of 42 years would take me on a journey through loss and grief to a redefined sense of self. Death, an unexpected teacher, was my transformative metamorphosis. The slow and painful healing process unfolded my creativity and, in what I can only describe as a “new normal,” Essence of Laurel was born. "Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens." Khalil Gibran My first book, “Emerging Voices” has a purpose ~ to serve as a journal and healing catalyst for anyone who has experienced a loss. The art and poetry within is a testimony as to what can happen when we acknowledge grief in all its forms. It allows for the discovery of a new perspective which will lead you on a journey of self-discovery and renewal. “Art from the Heart” has become my playground; a place where I can tap into my innermost creativity as an inspirational writer and artist. The surprise is that it came at a time when I thought that the next chapters in my life would be lonely; without purpose or passion. Instead I have been given the gift of a renewed sense of life, its possibilities and most importantly, an appreciation for living in the present moment. Our human experience, whether in a crisis or a life transition, continuously gives us the opportunity to learn and grow. We can choose to stay in a place of sorrow and regret, or embrace these life-altering experiences from which we can discover a new way of being. My hope is that my writing and ‘Art from the Heart’ touches and inspires you.

Articles:

Life After Loss the Afterwards

On February 11th, 2018 it was nine years since my husband, Marty, passed away.  I saw a post on Instagram the other day which took my breath away because the […]

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Hope After the Loss of a Spouse

Artist, poet, and writer Laurel Diane Rund talks about finding hope once again after losing a spouse. Losing her husband took her on a journey to sorrow and personal transformation. […]

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Open to  hope

Coming Full Circle: A Letter from Daughter to a Mother Who Died Young

Ina, my mother, died 13 months after I was born.  For most of my life, I felt like a “motherless child.”  She became a ghost-like fantasy to me, which is […]

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My Words to Live By: I Am Open

I recently spent some time with a special friend and she told me how she came to name her upcoming book  (which I hope to feature in a future blog). […]

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Open to  hope

The Yin and Yang of Love after Spouse-Loss

Unbelievable as it seems, it has been four years since my husband passed away. Every year, from January 26th until February 19th, I go into a Bermuda triangle of memories […]

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This Puzzle Called Life by Laurel D. Rund

I was working my way through my own personal puzzle in 2010. It was a transformative time, as I moved through grief into an appreciation for my newly reshaped life […]

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Open to  hope

Loss is So Complicated – Unexpected Triggers

Loss is So Complicated…. My feelings of grief and loss are complicated and intertwined within my very being.   After my husband Marty’s death in 2009, I wrote a poem called […]

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Strength and Glory after Husband’s Death: Elegy to a Tree

About six months after my husband, Marty, passed away I turned to the creative voice within me to help me express my soul’s grief.  After enrolling in a drawing class, […]

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Open to  hope

The Storm, the Dove, Renewal

A week or two ago, a beautiful dove built a nest in a palm tree next to my house. It was nestled in a space where a palm frond had […]

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Open to  hope

In Widowhood, Woman Discovered her ‘Song’

I am a woman who has been reborn in the afternoon of her life. The death of my husband of 42 years could have stopped me in my tracks. Instead, […]

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