Bereavement Archives - Open to Hope

Bereavement

Hurting and in pain and looking for hope? In times of bereavement watch, read and listen to stories of hope and recovery.

Articles

Writing When Life Hurts

Posted on February 1, 2023 - by Beth Marshall

After losing three close family members in five years, I remember feeling overwhelmed as waves of unanticipated emotions would roll in like a storm. How long would this intense sorrow […]

Read More
Feeling Sad or Being Sad?

Posted on January 30, 2023 - by Greg Adams

Are We Feeling Sad or Being Sad? Do you ever hear a story or a comment that really stays with you? It hangs out in the back of your mind […]

Read More
Father Writes a Musical for Deceased Son

Posted on January 23, 2023 - by Larry Hirschhorn

A Shocking Loss My son Aaron Hirschhorn died in a boating accident in Miami bay on March 28, 2022. He was a month shy of 43 years old. He left […]

Read More
Conscious Grieving

Posted on January 23, 2023 - by Lisa Irish

Note: Lisa Irish is offering an online workshop on Jan. 28, 2023. For more information, https://www.lisairish.com/event/attending-to-grief-hope-in-a-changing-world/ What is Conscious Grieving? Most people think grief is something to be endured or […]

Read More
What Does Grief Look and Feel Like?

Posted on January 12, 2023 - by Ilana Estelle

Grief is different for each of us. One size does not fit all. How Grief Appears The appearance of grief is also different for everyone. Sometimes grief may appear as […]

Read More
How Widows Can Improve Their Self-Talk and Move Forward with Grief

Posted on January 10, 2023 - by Kim Murray

Self-Talk Matters Your internal dialogue and self-talk determine how you feel about yourself and how you act in the world. For widows, it’s especially important to understand how your self-talk […]

Read More
Avoiding the ‘Holiday Rabbit Hole’

Posted on December 13, 2022 - by Nina Impala

The Holiday Rabbit Hole The other night I was just feeling down thinking of sad things, missing my mom and dad. Being a senior now in my 60’s, death seems […]

Read More
It IS Possible To Survive Christmas While Grieving

Posted on December 9, 2022 - by Linda Zelik

Surviving Christmas While Grieving Surviving Christmas, supposedly the most joyous day of the year, without our beloved 24-year-old son seemed impossible. However, I did survive and it turned out not […]

Read More
Losing a Loved One Makes You Grow Up

Posted on December 3, 2022 - by Ilana Estelle

Losing a Loved One The death of a loved one may leave us struggling, not always because someone has passed, but because of the problems they leave behind. When it […]

Read More
A Different Approach to Holiday Grief

Posted on November 21, 2022 - by John Pete

Holiday Grief is Hard Holiday Grief is Hard. It just is. Emotions are heightened, and some grievers find themselves shunning holidays, or perhaps sitting sadly by and muddling through. But […]

Read More
Giving Myself Away: The Meaning of Thanksgiving

Posted on November 18, 2022 - by Harriet Hodgson

Giving Myself Away Thanksgiving is one of America’s favorite holidays. The dinner menu varies from culture to culture, and family to family, yet the idea of giving thanks crosses all […]

Read More
Longing for Normal Holiday Season

Posted on November 16, 2022 - by Nina Impala

Longing for Normal Recently, I was reading a book about longing, and it stirred up a lot of feelings. What does longing mean to you? At this time of year […]

Read More
When Grief Takes Your Holiday

Posted on November 8, 2022 - by Mary Joye

We all know what life was like before grief set in and took over every thought. We anticipated holidays with excitement and found wonder in every moment from buying gifts, […]

Read More
Stay Connected with Others While Grieving

Posted on November 1, 2022 - by Peggy Bell

Wired for Connections We as humans, are social beings. We are wired for connections with other human beings. Connecting with others gives us purpose and meaning to our lives. When […]

Read More
What Comes Next After Death?

Posted on October 31, 2022 - by Greg Adams

The Next Place? Sometimes in grief support groups for adults or for teenagers, a question like this will be asked: “When you think about your special person who died, where […]

Read More
Offering Grief Support to Those in Mourning

Posted on October 28, 2022 - by Colleen Friesen

Offering Grief Support I hear many sad tales of people who suffer the loss of a loved one followed by abandonment of people who love them but don’t know how […]

Read More
Holiday Grief Planning May Ease the Pain

Posted on October 21, 2022 - by Dr. Peggy DeLong

As we enter the holiday season, careful planning is important for those who are dealing with a profound or recent loss. Holiday grief planning can change the season from potentially […]

Read More
Coping with Holidays After Death of a Loved One

Posted on October 18, 2022 - by Dr. Peggy DeLong

The death of a loved one is a traumatic and emotionally painful experience. Coping during the holidays is a particularly difficult time for dealing with loss. Here are suggestions that […]

Read More
Blissful Memories from the Year Before a Loss

Posted on October 17, 2022 - by Colleen Friesen

I don’t know if this phenomenon is typical or atypical. In my grief journey, I try to accept what comes. I believe that God works with our psyche to chart […]

Read More
Rituals Honor Our Transitions

Posted on October 10, 2022 - by Stephanie Sarazin

Rituals vs. Ceremonies Regardless of upbringing, it’s likely you’ve participated in a variety of rituals and ceremonies throughout your lifetime. Though the terms are often confused or used interchangeably, their […]

Read More
Digging Deep: Finding Comfort after Husband’s Death

Posted on October 5, 2022 - by Joni Sensel

A Sudden Death Tony’s body is stretched on our living room floor. I hunker over my knees on the stepstool in the kitchen, trying not to see his husk from […]

Read More
Month Five Worse Than First One

Posted on September 30, 2022 - by Nathan Peterson

Month Five is Worst I’m sure there is a book somewhere that says Month Five after the death of a child is worse than Month One. I’m also sure reading […]

Read More
Six Months Later, Memories Don’t Fade

Posted on September 29, 2022 - by Nathan Peterson

Six Months Later Today is six months since our daughter Olivia died. It is still so hard to comprehend, staring at this grave, that her body is just a few […]

Read More
‘Are We Sure She’s Dead?’: On Disbelief

Posted on September 28, 2022 - by Nathan Peterson

‘Are We Sure She’s Dead?’ Last night I dreamt about Olivia all night. I dreamt Heather dug her up and was holding her. She looked fine. No decay. She was […]

Read More
Commemorating Our Loved Ones

Posted on September 25, 2022 - by Colleen Friesen

Every person who grieves will find solace in different things and different ways. Following the sudden passing of my son, I received comfort from actions or objects which draw him […]

Read More
Understanding our Emotions During Grief

Posted on September 22, 2022 - by Jacqui Coombe

There is a common saying in life, ‘nothing lasts forever.’ Unfortunately, this sentiment is true. As such, when we go through loss, whether that loss relates to a job, pet, […]

Read More
Finding Strength in Grief

Posted on September 15, 2022 - by Colleen Friesen

Last week, after I posted my blog article and shared it on my social media, I received a treasured compliment. My soul sister remarked that she appreciated that my writing […]

Read More