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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A Lasting Memory of Christmas Past
December 2, 2015
I had kissed Abby and David “good night” and was started back down the stairs, when I stopped at the top riser and paused before heading downstairs. The scene laid out below me, in the living room, was what we often lovingly refer to as “Christmas has thrown up all over our house.” I would like nothing more than to say it’s my wife who over-indulges in Christmas, but that would be disingenuous. Between the two of us, we’ve acquired a beyond healthy amount of Christmas stuff. Every year, we dutifully adorn our house. The scene below me that night […]
Grief to Grace : Mary Potter Kenyon
November 19, 2015
Mary Potter Kenyon is the author of three books. Her most recent is Refined by Fire: A Journey of Grief and Grace, which details her process of grief and healing after the loss of her mother, husband, and grandson in a three-year period. Refined by Fire recently received the 2014 USA Best Book award. She is a frequent speaker and columnist of the topics of grief, loss, and healing. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/OpenToHope_MaryKenyon.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Marcie Taylor: The Drew Michael Taylor Foundation
November 11, 2015
The National Alliance for Grieving Children conference brought together Dr. Heidi Horsley and Marcie Taylor, a bereaved parent who works in the field of grief and loss. Her son died four years ago when he was three years old. Taylor and her husband created the Drew Michael Taylor Foundation in Pennsylvania in memory of Drew. It’s a way to honor her child, serve fellow bereaved families, and empower others who have had a similar life situation. Grief is isolating and a very lonely feeling. Surrounding yourself with supportive people who “get it” is critical. It’s important, whether you get it […]
Can Gratitude be Part of the Grieving Process?
November 6, 2015
Gratitude does not come naturally to most of us when we’re dealing with intense grief and especially after the immediate loss of a child. I had to actively find my way back to gratitude following these two steps: Acknowledge God plays a role in my life – if I let Him. Invite Him into my life by asking for His comfort and grace through prayer. After the sudden death of our son, Ben, all I could muster for prayer were two words: “Help me!!” Even though it was short, direct, and demanding, my prayer was heartfelt, and over time I […]
The Empty Holiday Plate
November 4, 2015
The holidays. Thanksgiving. Christmas. Chanukah. Kwanza. Times to be happy and celebrate. For others, but not for me. For me, it is a time of an empty plate at the table. A remembrance of my child. My child used to sit at that plate heaping turkey and potatoes on his plate. A smile on his eager face. But no more. No more will I see him and that plate will remain empty. Empty as my heart, I fear. And all around me, will be celebrating and smiling while I feel I have little to celebrate or smile about. He is […]
Episode 57: Women and Grief
October 29, 2015
On This show Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley moderate a panel of women regarding women and grief. The panel includes Chris Gigliotti, Adam’s mom, Anne Castaldo, Tony’s mom and president of the Tony Brown foundation and Brooke Smith Kennedy’s mom and creator of Knot My Baby. The women discuss the difficulty of being a couple but also having space to grieve alone. They also share how they have coped with their losses and have gone on to again find hope. The video clip “Taking A Break From Our Grief” moderated by Dr. Heidi Horsley is played.
53 Episode: First Candle: Supporting Stillbirth and SIDS Families
October 27, 2015
On this show Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley interview Chris Blake, the chief operating officer of First Candle, regarding the foundation’s work in saving babies’ lives, spearheading research, educating new moms and dads and bringing hope to grieving families. Debbie Haine Vijayvergiya, bereaved mom of Autumn Joy and advocate for stillbirth awareness and education, joins the discussion. A video clip that provides tips on dealing with the risk of SIDS is played. The clip features Aletha Maybank, Assistant Commissioner for the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Stillbirth: A Quiet Death
October 22, 2015
When a child you carry in your womb for nearly six months stops moving; when a small tiny life ceases to have breath; when all that you were looking forward to is extinguished; life changes in those moments. A quiet death has taken place. At first not even noticed. Without any warning, an umbilical cord has wrapped itself around this wee infant in the silent world of the unborn. This was to be our fifth child. We were the parents of three sons. We had, only months earlier adopted our first daughter from Korea. Anna was almost one when […]
David Zeigler: Dealing With Loss Through Film Making
October 22, 2015
David Zeigler, a Guggenheim Fellow, has been making documentary films for twenty years. His first narrative feature, Sweet Old World, is drawn from his own experience following the death of his nine-year-old son. His 1999/2000 series, Senior Year, was a landmark PBS broadcast in 2002. His films have been seen on television in over a hundred and fifty countries worldwide. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/OpenToHope_DaveZeigler.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
