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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Want to Fast Forward Through Mother’s Day?
May 7, 2013
Have you ever wished you had a huge remote and could fast-forward through something? A tedious conversation, or maybe the perky dental hygienist with a terrifying tray of metal weapons? I have. Mother’s Day isn’t supposed to be on that list, is it? For anyone missing your mother this year, or maybe you’re a mom missing your beloved child, you know what I’m talking about. It’s inescapable — hourly reminders of happy moms and children everywhere you turn. If you’re considering pulling the percale sheets over your head and waking up Monday, you’re not alone. I remember the first Mother’s […]
Tricia Wolfe: Dealing With Mental Illness
May 2, 2013
Tricia Wolfe’s life seemed perfect. She was married to a successful attorney and the mother of three boys. In 2003, her life changed when her son, Brad, was killed. She is the author of A Heart Torn, A Soul Mended: A Bereaved Parent’s Search for Harmony, the story of how a mother’s love endured through her son’s bipolar illness and his eventual death. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2013/04/Tricia-Wolf.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Could Writing Help the Boston Survivors?
April 24, 2013
The bombings in Boston have left me in tears. Every time I hear the news, see the photos of those who died or were wounded, I want to curl up and block it all out. It is much the way I felt after my son took his life in 1999. These kinds of tragedies bring all those sad feelings back. I also want to find a way to help. In my memoir, Leaving the Hall Light On, I told how I survived through writing. It is my belief that everyone who has experienced such a tragedy – and I suspect […]
Helping Others Helps the Griever
April 22, 2013
As I read about the grieving process, I noticed many suggest we should do something nice for someone else. It’s hard to think of reaching out to another person when you feel so broken, but doing so opens our eyes to the fact that there are still good things going on in life and being a part of them will lift us up. It may be a temporary fix, but even a temporary fix feels good. No matter how simple or elaborate it may be, it always works. When you give, you receive. While working on my book, Brittany’s Rose, […]
Springtime Thoughts Lead to Children Who Have Died
April 19, 2013
After an unusually, stormy, cold winter all over the nation, spring has finally arrived. The days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, and the flowers are now blooming. Along with nature’s beauty comes thoughts of our children who are no longer with us. Oh, how they, too, would love the beautiful sunsets, seeing the return of the birds from the south and perhaps experience a new crop or newly born animals coming out of their winter shelters. But they will not see any of this, and it makes me very sad to think not only what we parents […]
Alice Wisler: Getting Going After Loss
April 18, 2013
Alice J. Wisler is an author, speaker, and grief writing instructor. She is the Death of a Younger Child Forum moderator at Open to Hope. In 1997 her four-year-old son Daniel died from cancer treatments. Her new book is Getting Out of Bed in the Morning: Reflections of Comfort in Heartache. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2013/04/Alice-Wisler.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Bereaved Parent Lives Life in Kairos Time
April 18, 2013
Six years have passed since my daughter died from the injuries she received in a car crash. Three other family members died the same year. As I look back on my bereavement journey, I see spikes of grief – a rush of painful feelings – some expected and some unexpected. I also see that multiple losses and time have changed me. Recently I read an article by Elizabeth Harper Neeld, PhD, published on the Legacy Connect website. The article, “How Long is this Grieving Going to Last,” describes two types of time, chronos and kairos. I hadn’t encountered these words […]
What do you like to remember the most?
April 17, 2013
When I think of my son, 4-year-old Daniel, I think of how he peed in the bushes, picked green tomatoes and loved to watch Toy Story. I recall his giggle and his smile. I can feel his soft hands wrapped around my shoulders. What do you like to remember about your child?
To Find Peace, Just Look Up
April 11, 2013
Below is an excerpt from the To Do List in my book Brittany’s Rose. Just Look Up I spent many hours looking up at the sky as I drove to and from the hospital to see Brittany. As I did so, I realized why God gave us such a extraordinary roof over our heads. Still, to this day, the sky brings me great comfort. Sometimes, “up” is where we look for hope and inspiration. Other times, it could be we just want to feel the freedom of a wide-open space. No matter what time of day or night, the beauties […]
