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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‘Stumbling in the Darkness’ After Loss of Daughter
February 26, 2011
As I sat there in the waiting room of the oily garage just outside of Sevierville, TN, anticipating the very long drive home to Florida, my 18-year-old daughter was flipping through racing magazines and telling me all about her new friend. Emily had only one real date with him, and I knew that they were making plans for both of their high school proms. Emily was beaming with new facts: telling me how his college major was going to be in business so he could be a racing manager for his best friend, who was going to be a Formula […]
Wondering About the Dreams of a Lost Child
February 26, 2011
THE BEREAVED – May Williams Ward In the next room, in the low chair, In the soft dark, are you there? I do not ask it when sun is laid Through the checkered window in yellow plaid- Then love this is past seems rich enough And having had that, I can give you up, But in the deep dark…In the low chair In the next room, are you there? I want you there…. This morning, while trying to rinse dried oats off Peter’s breakfast bowl, I looked over at Dempsey who was lost in a TV program. She was sitting […]
‘Moving Forward’ After the Death of a Child
February 25, 2011
I’ve often wondered what the recipe included when mothers were created. Part superhero, part superhuman, “moms” surely have many ingredients: one wrist that can test the temperature of baby formula, three measures of skinned knee fixability, two cups of tear catching, zero sick days, little nightly sleep, a dash of fever-gauging with a kiss on the forehead, many heaping tablespoons of patience, endless pickups, drop-offs, and grocery lists, and several thousand sack lunches and dinners. Topped with the wave of one giant problem-solving wand sprinkled with magic glitter from up above, a mom is born. Mothers have strength beyond muscle, […]
When You Just Can’t Say Good-bye, Don’t: A Mother’s Personal Journey After Losing a Child
February 24, 2011
Maria Malin’s book, When You Just Can’t Say Good-bye, Don’t: A Mother’s Personal Journey After Losing a Child, is available at her website.
The Highway of Life: Get Back on the Bus!
February 24, 2011
The bus stopped for you at GRIEF, and as you stepped off, you sank into an abyss of pain and sorrow, like nothing you had experienced before. You don’t have to stay forever in this inhospitable place. Get back on the bus now! When we experience the loss of a loved one, we can feel totally powerless as the feelings associated with grief wreak havoc in our lives. In the short term, we may have little control over our life and go through the motions in survival mode only. We wonder if we will ever feel some degree of peace […]
Bereaved Grandmother Turns the Corner on Grief
February 21, 2011
My granddaughter was unexpectedly born still in 2003. My daughter-in-law had a healthy, uneventful, full-term pregnancy. There were no indications of any problems during her labor. The medical staff was as stunned as we were when Madeline was delivered without a heartbeat. My background is in behavioral medicine, and I have worked professionally with bereavement issues for several decades, but none of my education or experience prepared me to cope with the death of my granddaughter. I also felt powerless when it came to providing solace to my son and daughter-in-law. As I felt my way like a blind person […]
Grief Teaches Us Simple Lesson: Accept Death
February 21, 2011
Grief is indiscriminate of categories as to how life ends, our race, religion, gender, or any other box asking to be checked off for validation. Grief counterparts like denial, guilt, rage, craziness, plus so many other bright colored ones, will at some point fit perfectly into a box on what I call The Human Application. The most appropriate box name for this human commonality should be Griever. Imagine being able to check this box off. It would tell the world that you were in need of a time out. It would tell the world you were in need of additional […]
Webinar-Valentines Day After the Loss of a Child
February 18, 2011
Webinar-Dr Bob Baugher discusses tips for hope and healing with Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley after the loss of a child.
‘Moments in the Middle’ Make Recovery Possible
February 16, 2011
After my daughter’s death, I recall telling my grief counselor that I knew I would eventually be ok, but I didn’t like the process of getting there. Getting there. It meant laborious work, buckets of tears, and a plethora of pain. I wanted to skip that part. I just wanted things to be ok again. But there was no way around it. I had to go through the journey of dealing with my loss and hurt if I wanted to truly experience healing. I had to live those moments in the middle. A friend once shared that she liked middles. […]
