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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The Musical Journey of Grief
April 6, 2010
Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember; music has always helped me navigate major transitions in my life. After the death of my daughter Jeannine in 2003 due to cancer, music helped me put words to her illness and the aftermath of her death. Later in my grief journey, music assisted me (and continues to assist me) in redefining myself due to my struggle with her physical absence. The lyrics and music of The Wallflowers, The Counting Crows, Jackson Browne and Tom Petty were very instrumental in my grief Journey. Figuratively, these […]
Help Grieving Children Know They are Not Alone
April 3, 2010
By Howard Winokuer, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, FT, and Heidi Horsley, Psy.D, LMSW, MS “What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” — Helen Keller The death of a child is traumatic. It often turns one’s life upside down and puts everything we ever believed into question. Regardless of the way a child dies, we are never prepared to lose them. As parents we do not expect to outlive our children, and as siblings, we just assume we will travel through life together and grow old together. Not only are […]
Shana Feste: Families and Grief
April 1, 2010
Shana Feste wrote and directed the movie The Greatest, about the death of a child. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2010/11/OTH-3-29-10-Shana-Feste.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Great Joys Among Great Sorrows
April 1, 2010
I have just been sitting here thinking about life. It is so strange. Everyone who has lost a child has been through such great sorrows, but we have also been through great joys in our lives. There was a time after Keren died that I never thought I would feel joy again. I really didn’t for a long time. I was dead inside, empty and numb,but then after a while, a little bit of light started peaking its head into my life. So faint at first I couldn’t see it, it was barely there. I was so numb inside. But still it […]
Finding Spring Again After the Death of a Child
March 31, 2010
We are finally at an end of what has often been a brutal winter. While gazing at the mountains of snow piled high in my front yard and the foot-long icicles hanging from my roof, it was hard to imagine that spring would ever come. We have endured bitter cold winds that have chilled us to the bone and treacherous roads that we have cautiously traveled. The days have been long and dark. No matter how long I have been a native of the Upper Midwest, I know we all will be glad when it comes to an end. However, as I described […]
Celebrate the Time We Had With Loved One
March 30, 2010
Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. — Dr. Seuss I love this quote and I will try my best everyday to live this although some days it is challenging. Some days it takes great effort. Every day I wake up anew and tell myself today I am going to rejoice today; I am going to celebrate that I had 23 wonderful years with my daughter, and when I feel the sadness and the despondency of her loss start to overtake me, I try to remember none of us here is guaranteed any amount of time on this […]
Bond to Deceased Child Can Go On
March 29, 2010
From the moment you become a parent, there are two questions that become first and foremost in your mind: Where is my child? Is he/she okay? Even when you are dealing with an infant who seldom leaves your side, you still get those moments. I can remember watching my babies when they were in deep sleeps to make sure that they were still breathing. And if I ever left them with a babysitter or at nursery school, I would wonder where they were and if they were okay. I simply had to know. It’s a constant vigil the undermines everything else […]
An Epiphany in Old San Juan
March 28, 2010
Puerto Rico is the best kept secret in the world and where Bienvenidos truly means “welcome” in every sense of the word. The Puerto Rican people are warm, friendly and passionate. They not only embrace you with their arms and generous kisses, but with their compassionate heart. The island is only 35 miles wide by 100 miles long yet is home to over 4 million people, a country approximately the size and population of Connecticut. Although predominantly middle class, there are some caches of illegal aliens and drug lords spurred by our recession which contributes to nearly 1000 murders per year, […]
Ten Ways to Comfort the Grieving Heart
March 15, 2010
Sometimes I wish I were a little kid again, skinned knees are easier to fix than broken hearts. ~Author Unknown I’ve been thinking about all of the different ways I have been comforted over the past eight months since my son, Stephen, died. I have been blessed, and surrounded by so many people who envelope me with love and protect my healing heart. Every day, I am reminded that I am not alone. And, with each reminder, I feel Stephen’s love. It is as if his essence was dispersed across the globe, and different people give me a little piece […]
