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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Leaving My Former Self Behind: 10 Years After My Daughter’s Death
January 29, 2013
The Power in Pain March 1,2013 will mark the 10th angelversary of my 18-year-old daughter Jeannine’s death. At times, I wonder how I made it ten minutes, much less ten years. During my early grief, I never thought I would experience joy again, nor did I ever believe that my life would have meaning again, without my daughter’s physical presence. However, my perspective on Jeannine’s death has changed because I made a conscious effort to do so and because of the support and spiritual guidance that I have received along the way. It has been an empowering feeling to […]
Does a Child’s Death Adversely Affect Marital Stability?
January 17, 2013
Bereavement is a topic rife with stereotypical thinking among the general public. One often hears the view expressed that a child’s death may have damaging effects upon a couple’s marriage. Actually, the limited research on this topic does show evidence of increased conflict and marital discord among couples experiencing a still birth or a neo-natal child loss. However, little research has been conducted regarding marital stability after an older children dies, or when the deceased child perishes from self-induced causes, like suicide or a drug overdose. In our Devastating Losses study, my coauthors and I sought to explore this question […]
From Threat to Sign of Hope
January 8, 2013
It was soon after dawn on the San Rafael Hills and I was on my own, when I saw looming out of the thick mist a lone figure. Luckily his back was toward me and for a split-second I wondered whether to creep away. I realized it wasn’t a man at all, but a cutout figure of one. But not just any man. A long, lean, dangerous man. And not just any long, lean, dangerous man, but Clint Eastwood. And he was in a smoldering pose made famous by “A Fistful of Dollars.” He stood there on the crest of […]
Ken Druck, Ph.D; The Real Rules of Life for the New Year
December 27, 2012
Dr. Ken Druck is one of the nations pioneers in personal transformation. Since founding the Jenna Druck Center, in honor of his deceased daughter, he has become a beacon of hope for thousands. Dr. Ken has been called on to assist after tragic events such as 9/11, Columbine & Hurricane Katrina. Ken’s new book is, The Real Rules of Life: Balancing Life’s Terms with Your Own. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2012/11/Ken-Druck.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The End of the Innocence: Honoring the Sandy Hook Families
December 26, 2012
Living With Ambiguity The older I get, the more that I realize how quickly and drastically life can change. There are some events that defy logic, and despite our best efforts to try to make sense of them, many unanswered questions will remain. I have learned in the almost ten years since the death of my own child to live with some unanswered questions, some ambiguity. I believe that as long as I do my best to find meaning and significance in a world that has permanently changed and can help others in the process, I can live with some […]
A Time to Heal: A Grief Journal
December 11, 2012
Beth Marshall’s book, “A Time to Heal: A Grief Journal,” is available at Amazon.com.
Garage Sale Grief
December 2, 2012
When my daughter died many years ago, I wanted to hold on to anything I had that belonged to her…forever, I told myself. But as the years go by, I have found a greater meaning in letting go. First thing to do is take inventory of what there is, pick out items that you feel strongly about always keeping and put them aside. I did this with my daughter’s stuffed animals. There were some I could never part with; others that I felt would be good to donate to a children’s hospital or even give to friend’s kids or grandkids. […]
Christmas Memories of my Daughter
November 25, 2012
Christmas was my daughter’s favorite holiday and she planned for it all year. But she didn’t have much money and there were times when she relied on the local food bank. If money was such a problem, how could she afford to buy Christmas gifts? Little by little, year by year, I learned the answer to this question. She put her talents and intelligence to work and made gifts – fragrant apple pies, plants grown from cuttings, and needlework items. She also bought gifts from flea markets and thrift stores. On Christmas morning, when she walked in the back door […]
Father Learns How to Deal with Holidays After Daughter’s Death
November 24, 2012
In early grief, it is difficult to find any meaning in pain. After my daughter Jeannine’s death in 2003, the pain I experienced in early grief was raw and something that I feared. If I had a choice, I would have avoided it at all costs. However, as I have learned, we need to work through pain in order to be able to find greater meaning in our lives. During the holidays, our grief and pain tends to become more intensified. The stress of holiday shopping and get togethers is stressful enough. The stress of grief makes these holiday events […]
