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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Mother’s Day Without Mother
May 10, 2012
For most people, Mother’s Day brings to mind bouquets of sunny flowers in pink hues, often-obligatory brunches, and lingering in the aisles trying to find the perfect greeting card to sum up gratitude for a lifetime of love and care. Mother’s Day is traditionally a celebration honoring mothers, motherhood, maternal bonds and the influence of mothers in society. However for those of us who have suffered the loss of a mother, or a child, Mother’s Day can be a muddle of complex emotions. On the one hand we want to be mindful that it is a celebration, but it is […]
A Bittersweet Mother’s Day After Son’s Suicide
May 10, 2012
“I’m having a Mother’s Day Tea,” my friend Becky said on the other end of the phone line, “and am inviting some of our writer friends and a few of the ladies from church.” My heart dipped. Six weeks into grieving my son’s suicide, I didn’t know how I could possibly get through an afternoon without crying. Each afternoon played out the same, and escalated into evenings of tears, tears, and more tears. I did not intend to upset my friends and ruin a tea party, so I said, “That’s so kind of you, Becky, but I’m afraid I can’t […]
Real Men Do Cry
May 3, 2012
Real Men Do Cry, by former NFL quarterback Eric Hipple, is an incredible story of tragedy and triumph. After his 15-year-old son died of suicide, Eric fell into a debilitating downward spiral. Bankrupt and jailed for drunk driving, he found the strength to seek therapy for his own depression and was able to make an amazing comeback. With unflinching honesty, Eric shares his journey, thus opening the door for others to realize that depression is treatable. This page-turner is packed with practical resources for families living with depression and is a valuable tool for counselors and mental health professionals nationwide. […]
Mark Triplett; Death of an Adult Child
May 3, 2012
Mark Triplett is Co-Director of a Minnesota non-profit organization, in memory of his son Adam, which serves the Love Basket Grief Support Outreach, and is the author of “From Mayhem To Miracles.” Mark’s passion is sharing his story of miracle messages that provided spiritual healing in his grief journey. Mark lives in White Bear Lake, Minnesota with his wife Linda. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2012/07/Mark-Triplett_01.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Richard Rosser; Keeping the Creative Spirit after Loss
April 26, 2012
Richard Rosser is a Children’s Author/Playwright/Cartoonist. While in high school, his brother died in a car accident. Richard has worked in the entertainment business since college. After watching a man steal a parking space from his mother-in-law, Richard created Piggy Nation. Tragically, Richard’s son Nick died in a car accident soon thereafter. Richard has since written two children’s books, a musical, and created a comic strip, all influenced by Nick’s spirit. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2012/07/Richard-Rosser_01.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Grief Support Group Helps after Child-Loss
April 26, 2012
Without you, my world seems too big. I don’t know how to fill the space that was you. I only know sometimes I get lost in it. The space left by you seemed to mock me. It followed me relentlessly. It threatened to consume me. Well-meaning friends pretended not to see the space you left. Others tried to get me to ignore it to, to pretend it wasn’t there, or to fill it quickly with other people, other things. I tried to tell them it didn’t work that way. I tried to reason with them. They tried to reason with […]
How Friends Can Help after a Suicide
April 24, 2012
So many people get stuck when it comes to comforting someone who is grieving. They don’t know what to say. They don’t know what to do. So they send flowers, they bring over a casserole for the already filled to the brim freezer, they send a sweet card, or in some cases they just avoid the issue entirely, thinking maybe it will just go away. Even some of the people go away. Almost immediately after my son Paul’s funeral, people began to disappear. Perhaps they were threatened or couldn’t face the realities of my life. Maybe my loss and grief […]
Leaving the Hall Light On
April 23, 2012
Madeline Sharples’ book, Leaving the Hall Light On: A Mother’s Memoir of Living with Her Son’s Bipolar Disorder and Surviving His Suicide, is available on Amazon.com.
Shoes Bring Memories Years After Child’s Death
April 20, 2012
Sometimes no matter how far we have come, a moment occurs when we are blindsided again or subtly reminded that grief does not end. A moment that no matter how hard we try cannot be ignored. A moment that will reoccur again and again until we acknowledge its presence. Or a buried memory that resurfaces, insisting we remember it once more. Who would have thought shoes could hold such significance? We were moving for the first time in thirty years. I knew we had a lot of stuff, too much stuff, but I found out how much when I began […]
