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 Big Red Purse
October 1, 2025
Andrea, I was hoping you could lend me one of your big purses. I opened the closet where they are stored. To my disappointment, the big ones I remember were not there. I’m not sure, perhaps I lent them on your behalf, and my grief brain doesn’t remember. At first, I was disappointed and sad, a minor frustration compared to the grief I carry daily, but it caused me to pause. I know you understand. I started to look in the closet quietly, and my eyes focused on the purse you had that day—the beautiful lilac-colored one with darker purple […]
When a Parent is Ninety: Grieving the Loss of a Child
September 11, 2025
When a Parent is Ninety: Grieving the Loss of a ChildGrief has no expiration date. Whether you are thirty or ninety, the loss of a child shakes the soul. For a 90-year-old parent, this loss can feel especially disorienting — as if the natural order of life has been reversed. No matter how many years have passed, a parent never stops being a parent, and the heart never stops longing for the child it has loved.The Butterfly and the Empty BranchImagine a butterfly resting on a branch — delicate, vibrant, part of the garden’s beauty. It is late in the […]
Ten Ways to Support Grieving Parents Who Are Experiencing the Loss of a Child
September 11, 2025
Why This Topic Matters The death of a child is one of the most devastating and life-altering losses anyone can experience. For parents, it is not only the loss of a beloved son or daughter—it is the loss of future dreams, milestones, and a sense of identity that is often intertwined with being a parent. Friends and family often want to help but struggle to find the right words or actions. Missteps are common—not out of malice, but out of fear or lack of understanding. By identifying what parents who are grieving the loss of a child need most, we […]
Melissa Shelly: Finding Resilience After a Loss
September 4, 2025
In this powerful episode of the Open to Hope podcast, Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley welcomes grief advocate Melissa Kraus Shelly for a heartfelt conversation about death, resilience, and the human capacity to heal. Melissa opens up about her personal experiences with loss and the deep emotional terrain that comes with grief. With honesty and compassion, she shares how facing death—not just as an end, but as part of life’s narrative—has shaped her understanding of hope, strength, and connection. From the rawness of sorrow to the quiet moments of rebuilding, Melissa’s insights offer comfort to those navigating their […]
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Dr. Katie Eastman: Transforming Life After Loss
July 31, 2025
Struggling with change? Join Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley with guest Dr. Katie Eastman for practical tools on resilience and personal growth after loss. Dr. Eastman is the author of Uplifting: Inspiring Stories of Loss, Change, and Growth and co-author of Percolate: Let Your Best Self Filter Through. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr-Katie-Eastman-Transforming-Life-After-Loss.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Overcoming Fear After Losing Son to Suicide
July 10, 2025
Fear. Terror. Do these words describe your present state because of loss of a loved one? I know it did mine after our son, Joshua, died by suicide over six years ago. Do I still feel this way from time to time? Yes, but with God’s mercy, I passed through and out of the terror over Joshua being gone. Psalms 56:3 is fitting: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” (KJV) Hard to practice living that verse? Of course, especially when you’ve lost a child. I walked around full of terror that first year after Joshua left […]
Grief Illiteracy: How Avoidance Adds More Pain
June 30, 2025
What Grief Illiteracy Has Taught Me Losing Andrea irrevocably altered my life most profoundly. Child-loss changes the course of one’s life forever. My world is a different place, and I am not the same person I was before. There’s the deep personal pain that words are unable to touch, but there’s also something else I didn’t expect: the way the world responded. Or didn’t. In the months after Andrea died, I learned that many people don’t know how to deal with Grief, especially when it’s not their own. I call it grief illiteracy: the widespread discomfort, avoidance, and misunderstanding around […]
Twenty Years after the Death, Mother Honors Her Child
June 9, 2025
Twenty Years after the Death As bereaved parents, we need encouragement to remember and honor our children as often and as long as we wish. There is no time limit on grieving. Any time is appropriate to bring attention to the memory of a loved one. In my initial years following the physical death of my 19-year-old daughter, Melissa, unspeakable pain overwhelmed my life. Although I functioned, heartbreak ruled my existence. Ever so slowly color began to mingle with the darkness of grief. Now, twenty years after the death, the tapestry of my life is filled with peace, joy, love, […]
Sarah Reed Vollmann and Joann M. O’Leary: Born After the Death of a Sibling
June 5, 2025
Were you born after your sibling died? Join Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley as they speak with Sarah Reed Vollmann and Joann M. O’Leary for a lively discussion of the obstacles and repercussions related to a subsequent sibling death. Vollmann and O’Leary co-authored Shadows of a Deceased Sibling and Family Journeys of Grief. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sarah-Reed-Vollmann-and-Joann-M-OLeary_-Born-After-the-Death-of-a-Sibling.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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