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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Father's New Girlfriend
February 12, 2013
Hello–I am reaching out because I am feeling lost on how to manage my feelings about my father’s new girlfriend. My Mom died in Oct 2010 and my dad was lost. He jumped right into a relationship and desperately wanted us to accept the new woman. Meanwhile I asked for space because I wanted to deal with the loss of mom. Its now 2 yrs laster and this woman is still around. My issue is not that he has a companion. Its that every decision that has been made recently has been made my her. She redecorated his house, made […]
After Suicide, Transforming Grief into Peace
January 29, 2013
I was consumed by guilt for a long time over my father’s suicide, in 1978, mainly because I thought I was helping him. I did not understand the nature of his illness, so some of the things I did were actually harmful to him (for example, trying to talk him out of his delusions). Most importantly, I failed to recognize that he was in a life-or-death situation, and to this day, it still seems to me that my failure to help him contributed to his death. But through compassionate retelling of the story of his death, I found freedom from […]
Beth Marshall; A Time to Heal
December 20, 2012
Beth Marshall is an author and speaker who loves helping people find hope and healing through grief. Her journey began with the shocking death of her best friend, her mom. She is the author of A Time to Heal, a grief Journal created after the tragedies of 9/11. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2012/11/Beth-Marshall.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
I Used to Love Christmas, Until My Mother Died
December 9, 2012
I used to spend every Christmas with my mom, no matter what. It was always just the two of us and when I became an adult, she alwasy ask if I’d rather spend Christmas with my “little friends.” But my mom was “home” for me and Christmas was ours. Each Christmas, we had one particularly crazy ritual: we’d give each other several cards. There’d be cute ones, funny ones and always – – from me to her – – a big, mushy one. Over the years, I realized that this kind of card always made her cry, so I started […]
First Holiday Season after Mother’s Death
December 5, 2012
The holidays seem to magnify emotions of grief as music, events, even aromas can remind us of the person we are missing. Our family lost two close family members during the holidays, one right before Thanksgiving and the other two years later on December 9th. I remember thinking it would be nice to just pull the covers over my head and wake up in January. Maybe this year you understand what I’m talking about. I want you to know you don’t have to completely check out for the holidays, even through an intense season of grief. The first year. My […]
A Forever Decision, Part 9
December 5, 2012
My Uncle Steve turned 94 yesterday. I’m very happy that he’s still with us, and very proud that he has reached such an advanced old age. We tried to bring him home from the rehabilitation center last week, but the hospice worker recommended some accommodations to the house that had to be fulfilled before he could sign off on the transfer. The major one was to remove furniture and make space for a hospital bed, which at eight feet long and four feet wide, is a big order to fill. The other was to remove any object that might cause […]
Grieve Deeply by Breathing Deeply
November 23, 2012
How come when tragedy strikes, we hear the words, “Time heals”? After suffering and recovering from much hardship, time has been both an ally and enemy. It slowed enough so I could be with my father when he took his last breath, and for this I’m grateful. But four years after his death, the void in my heart hasn’t healed; it’s still as big as the day he died. Each day is another day without him physically. And, time, reflective of each passing calendar day, continuously reminds me of this. Yes, I’ve been comforted with the belief that when he died, his […]
19 year old having to live life with no mother because of suicide
October 17, 2012
My name is Ariel and 5 months ago I got the worse phone call of my life. I remember it just like yesterday. I was on my lunch break (i work at a nursing home as a CNA) and I turned on my phone and saw a text from my mother saying that she loved me and to take care and she was apologizing for being week. This was the day she was supposed to come see me for the first time since I moved away. I tried calling and calling her to see what she meant by the text. […]
When a Father Dies: What I Didn’t See Coming
October 9, 2012
Since my dad went on ahead a little more than 18 months ago, I have come to realize that when someone you love dies, you don’t just have to say goodbye to them at the time they pass away but also at every crossroad, every milestone, every big event. I’ve discovered that there are endless firsts and countless tough moments to get through, not just obvious ones like holidays and big events, but many others that are equally if not more challenging and shocking, which in many cases makes them even more difficult to struggle through under the heavy blanket […]
