Open to Hope Articles
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Dad was Daughter’s Best Valentine
February 10, 2011
The one-year anniversary of my dad is coming up very quickly. I often think to myself: Where did the time go? It doesn’t seem like a year at all. The first holidays quickly became the past for me, trying not to think of it and how hard it was for me and my family. Valentine’s Day to my dad was just an ordinary day, just another Hallmark holiday. He was absolutely right. I never got anything for my dad for Valentine’s Day because I knew — and he also knew — how much I loved him. The chocolate wasn’t going […]
Valentine’s Day for a Daddy’s Girl
February 1, 2011
I admit it. I was always a daddy’s girl. Don’t get me wrong. I was very close to my mom, too. I was lucky. I had two loving, involved parents. Still, my dad and I were tight. When my parents split, I couldn’t bear to see him alone, so I left our cushy family home and slept on the lumpy couch of his rental house. I sought his approval and was always thrilled to see him in the audience of a school play or the sidelines of a little league game. My dad always bought sentimental Valentine’s Day cards […]
Meeting the Needs of Fatherless Children
December 22, 2010
Perhaps there is one in your life, a child who needs a father, or at least a father figure while his own might be away for an extended period of time. For children, the absence of a father is most apparent during the holiday season. Children tend to dream within their means, sensing the financial strain and recognizing the fact that their mother is working as hard as humanly possible. They also know that Mom is the one who keeps the family functional, providing their every need. For this reason, some children may back away from asking Mom to stop […]
Jill Cliffer Baratta And Dr. Gloria Horsley; Using Art to Heal
December 10, 2010
Jill has used her art to work through the loss of her father.
Edwards Children Will Need Adult Help as They Grieve
December 9, 2010
The death of Elizabeth Edwards this week leaves three children without their mother, including two children ages 12 and 10. What can the Edwards family and friends do to help them through their grief? Research by psychoanalysts at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis on The Effects of Early Parent Deaths showed: The most important thing is to make sure the children have time to grieve, are encouraged to talk about their feelings, and are helped to remember their mom. If that doesn’t happen, the children may wall up emotions and enter an “emotional deep freeze” can keep them from enjoying […]
A Motherless Daughter Ponders Dating and Love
November 16, 2010
At 25, I realize the experience of losing my mother will continue to evolve as time passes. Even if I had spent every waking moment with her until the day she died, I would still be here. I have no mom to talk with about my romantic relationships. She loved giving advice, so I know she would have taken great pride in being my shoulder to cry on and my closest advisor. I try to find substitutes. My father is a big believer of, “when it’s right you feel it.” His idea is too rose-colored glasses for me. Giving my […]
Father’s Early Death Inspires Questions for a Lifetime
November 15, 2010
I often wonder how it went, that last week of his life. The accident was on Tuesday morning, November 14, just outside of Memphis, TN. Daddy was the passenger, taking his seatbelt off for a moment to get some books out of the back seat. The brakes failed. He went through the windshield, hitting his head on a tractor trailor parked on the side of the road. Mom tells me he never woke up. His head was shaved and swollen, his broken jaw wired shut, making him unrecognizable. Jerry, the friend he was supposed to meet for lunch that day, […]
Missing Mom At Thanksgiving
November 4, 2010
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It was my mom’s too. My mother was a wonderful cook. Her turkey stuffing was simple but memorable. In fact, my brother used to tease that he was going to make a stuffing sandwich with the leftover the next day. I think he really did. It tasted even better on day two. My mom died the day before Thanksgiving in 1979. Every year since that time, Thanksgiving has been bitter sweet for me. It is still my favorite holiday because of the family togetherness and wonderful feast, however it also reminds me of my mom’s […]
