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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Writing Mother’s Stories Helps Daughter Handle Loss
April 10, 2012
My career as a flight attendant included some intense training every year for “the unlikely event of an emergency.” One of the scenarios flight crews practice over and over is bracing for an emergency landing. Should this extremely rare situation occur, I felt confident that the crew was prepared and knew exactly what to do. The late night call about my mom’s death came with absolutely no warning or bracing time, and the impact was devastating. I felt completely unprepared and unsure where to go with the unpredictable emotions of grief. What would life look like without her, the #1 […]
Remembering
April 6, 2012
"It doesn’t matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." – Anne Sexton Sometimes it’s hard to know what will bring comfort to a friend who has lost a parent. Sometimes the smallest comment is all that’s needed. What quotes do you find useful? What do you remember most about your mother or father? When you are seeking comfort, what do you tell yourself?
‘Whispers From Beyond:’ Faith-Filled Heart Comforts after Loss
April 6, 2012
There is nothing more important or powerful in our lives than our faith. I have had a wonderful experience about a presence more powerful than ourselves. I have seen the movies, books and specials through out the media world about life after death, God, the Divine Source and Heaven. It is an amazing and mysterious subject matter, which captures the attention of millions no matter what faith they practice. My life has been embraced by heaven. I have been able to realize the connections with our loved ones who have passed away are never broken. After the loss of my […]
I lost my Dad to his addiction
February 27, 2012
My name is Axelle, I’m 21. On September 21st, 2011 my Father was found dead in his apartment. After being examined they found out he had been dead a few days. He had died on the 18th. He overdosed on pills and whiskey. When he did this he was in a bad place mentally. He had been an alcoholic for as long as I could remember. When I was older I realized he had a problem with pills as well. He was always my Dad though and I loved him regardless. I find myself often blaming myself for what happened […]
Dr Leeat Granek-Coping With Grief
February 27, 2012
Dr Leeat Granek talks about her work in grief after the death of her mother and shares the points she has learned on her emotional and academic journey to healing. Annual Association of Death Education and Counseling
Kahlil Gibran
February 24, 2012
“You have been told that, even like a chain, you are as weak as your weakest link. This is but half the truth. You are also as strong as your strongest link.”~Kahlil Gibran
Setting Goals
February 14, 2012
Victor Frankle stated it most succinctly in his book Mans Search for Meaning, “setting goals, no matter how small, is paramount to survival in the face of trauma.” What kind of goals help to heal grief? Keep it small and basic. Keeping your body nourished with food, getting to bed on time, writing in your journal every few days, practicing patience with yourself. These are the kind of goals to work toward in the early stages of grief. If there something that has helped you, that you think might help someone else, please share it here. –Gale View this youtube […]
I lost my mother to Pulmonary Hypertension
February 12, 2012
I joined this site to hopefully get some support because I feel like I am going to mentally break…. So here is my story of the loss of my beloved mother… Wednesday January 25th at 3:30 pm EST my mom was taken out by squad because her pulse oxygen level was in the 70’s and her heart rate was really low in the 60’s. She was put on the ventilator because of her low oxygen rate. Friday, January 27th she had a bronchoscopy because her left lung had collapsed and they re-inflated it. And she started to wake up on […]
Jenny Wheeler; Finding Hope After Father Loss
February 9, 2012
Jenny Wheeler is the teenaged author of the national award-winning book, WEIRD IS NORMAL WHEN TEENAGERS GRIEVE. She was 14 when her beloved father died of cancer, and she wrote the book to reassure other grieving teens that they have the right to grieve in their own way, and that they, too, will be able to find hope and healing. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2012/07/Jenny-Wheeler_01.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
