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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Handling the Holidays
October 25, 2011
Losing an older child is as painful as losing a younger child. My daughter was 45 when she died. When her former husband died nine months later my husband and I became GRGs, grandparents raising grandchildren. Keeping traditions is one way we get through the holidays. I put out some of the same decorations my daughter put out and many of the ornaments on our tree are from her ollection. Baking was one of her hobbies and I help my grandchildren bake holiday cookies. Giving is also a way we get through the holidays. Before she became a composite engineer, […]
Like Trees in Fall, We Must Let Go
October 24, 2011
I walk through the crunchy leaves that blanket the ground while others float down landing on me. I hesitate to brush them off. They are, after all, part of the beauty that is fall. That same breeze that makes the leaves dance swirls my hair around my face. I gently push it back as I continue my walk. I marvel at how quickly the trees are undressed. Just days ago they were covered. I think about how quickly our own lives change often catching us by surprise. How certain life events can make us feel naked and exposed. The dread […]
Grieving for the Sister She Never Knew
October 15, 2011
Savannah, our third child, was welcomed into this world in May of ’99. I like to think she was specially chosen for our family by her older sister, Alexandria. Alexandria was too ill to stay with us. She died early in ’98, seven days after her birth, from a chromosome abnormality. She spent her brief life in the neonatal intensive care unit. Savannah was the daughter who got to stay with our family on Earth; our precious rainbow baby following the storms of loss and the sunshine of grace. Bryce (our firstborn) and Savannah have grown up knowing they have […]
Finding Happiness
October 14, 2011
Four years have passed since my daughter died at age 45. Like all parents who have lost a child, I feel she died too soon. Death is death and it doesn’t matter that she was middle-aged when she died. I think about my daughter every day and her wonderful twins — the young adults my husband and I are raising. Would I ever be happy again? Life answered my question. Raising my grandchildren has made me happy and I feel like I’m continuing the journey my daughter began. Helping others, something my daughter loved to do, also makes me happy. […]
LEARNING TO LIVE AND LOVE IN ABSENCE
October 14, 2011
It is almost 11 months since the death of my 21yr old son. I am now learning to live and love in absence by giving my time to doing things that he loved. Giving his time and money to the needy and charity. Caring so much for people and never speaking evil or wrong about anyone. He never reacts badly or negatively to people. Very gentle and loving to a fault. Never complains. I need to learn from his legacy. God help me. I trust this will ease my pain. We need to live with our losses. My heart goes […]
Self-Forgiveness is a Key to Healing
October 14, 2011
Guilt is one of those emotions people don’t talk much about, maybe because shame is so often a part of it. Yet when someone we love dies, most of us feel guilty about something or perhaps many things. “If only I had….” “Why didn’t I?” “I should have insisted.” “It should have been me.” All of are all expressions of guilt. Guilt is sometimes justified but oftentimes it is not logical but we feel it just the same and it feels very real. Horace Bushnell says, “Guilt is the very nerve of sorrow.” Sometimes when we feel guilty, we punish ourselves. […]
Dragonflies Help Dad Feel Close to Deceased Son
October 13, 2011
It must have been a couple of weeks after the death of my son Noah when I first noticed the dragonflies. It was mid-June 2006 and I had already been off work for several weeks. I had called my office to let them know that I wasn’t going to be in for awhile. At the time I didn’t know what “awhile” meant and thankfully they didn’t ask. I spent most of my days doing small tasks around the house, just to keep my mind occupied. The rest of the time I hung out with my wife, worked out and made […]
Sheri Perl; Healing From the Inside Out
October 6, 2011
Sheri Perl is a spiritual healer, interfaith minister, author and lecturer. In 2008 Sheri lost her 22-year-old son Daniel to a drug overdose. In his honor Sheri has formed The Prayer Registry for parents who have lost children. She is the author of “Healing from the Inside out” which tells of her miraculous healing experience with the late British spiritual healer Harry Edwards. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/files/2011/09/Sheri-Perl_final.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Now I See: Grieving and Raising My Grandchildren
October 5, 2011
“You’re coming home with us,” I said. My husband and I and our twin grandchildren were standing by the hospital’s emergency entrance. Tragedy had found us again. Nine months ago, their mother (our daughter) died from the injuries she received in a car crash. Their fatherhad just died from the injuries he received in another car crash. It was beyond belief. While each year has its triumphs and tragedies, 2007 was a really hard year. My daughter and father-in-law died the same weekend, my brother died a few months later, and now my former son-in-law was gone. Like the words […]
