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 3,000 articles written by our Open to Hope authors.
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Carol Lynn Pearson; Death to AIDS, Finding Healing and Hope
December 4, 2008
Carol is an author and poet whose husband died of AIDS. Through his struggles as a gay man they remained close friends and connected by their 4 children. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2011/02/Carol-Lynn-Pearson-120408.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Ideas for Widows or Widowers with Teenagers who are Grieving the Loss of their Parent
December 4, 2008
This week’s column was written by my 24-year-old daughter Emily. I had asked her for suggestions for widows or widowers with teenagers who are grieving the loss of their parent, at the same time the surviving parent is grieving the loss of spouse. My father died nearly six years ago of esophageal cancer, when I was 18 and in my first year of college. Looking back on that time, I feel as though it happened both yesterday and decades ago. Death acts as a supernova to memories; seconds stand crystal clear illumined while whole weeks are a […]
From Sad to Silly: Christmas Memories Salve Widow’s Pain
November 20, 2008
By Michele Neff Hernandez — There is a song on the radio at this time of year, sung by the Carpenters, called “Merry Christmas, Darling.” The first Christmas after my husband Phil died, hearing this song sent me into fits of tears. Not the sweet, sad, nostalgic type of tears-these were the hitting my hands on the dashboard or kicking my bed, angry, unreasonable type of tears. Every time the song came on, I wanted to scream at the beautiful voice on the radio because the sentiment was so infuriating. The lyrics proclaim that every day is a holiday with […]
Life Will Never Be the Same — But You Can Get Through This
November 19, 2008
In response to “How Do I Cope After the Death of My Husband?” Arlene writes: I lost my husband a week ago today, I buried him yesterday. One minute I am numb the next I am crying my eyes out. I love and miss my best friend….I just don’t know what to do….I can’t forget his eyes as they were taking him in the ambulance, they were pleading with me and I couldn’t help him….I can’t close my eyes without seeing his pleading eyes to help him, he knew he was dying, it was a massive heart attack and […]
Let’s All Take Advantage of the Widow! Dealing with Manipulative Family and Friends
October 28, 2008
Martha from Utah writes: Your blog comments would have been of immense help the first couple of years after my husband’s death. We had been married for 45 years. I can relate to all they say. At this point in my adjustment (not recovery), reading what new widows have to say brings back a lot of the pain. When it comes down to the nitty gritty, Time is the greatest healer. It will be 4 years in February. I have figured out I will either survive or die. Do any other widows complain about inheritance […]
Karla Wheeler: Hospice and End of Life Issues
October 23, 2008
Karla Wheeler is the founder of Quality of Life Publishing. She established it to help families served by hospice. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2010/10/Karla-Wheeler-102308.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
You Know You’re a Widow When…
October 21, 2008
By Linda Della Donna — You know you’re a widow when… At the end of a good day, you bust out crying for no particular reason. At the end of a bad day, you burst out laughing for no particular reason. At the end of everyday, you crawl into bed and sleep on His side. You refuse to throw away His toothbrush, His razor, His bar of soap, because you think He’ll need them. The sight of His bathrobe hanging on a hook on the back of the bathroom door reduces you to tears, but you refuse to throw it […]
Bruce Murakami: From Trauma To Social Advocacy
October 16, 2008
Bruce Murakami teamed up with the teen who killed his wife and child in a car accident to make the roads safer. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2010/10/Bruce-Murakami-101608.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
