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.
SORT BY RELATIONSHIP
Widow Wonders if She’ll Ever ‘Fit’ with Another Man
November 23, 2011
Liana watched as the email came in. A “wink” from the cyberspace-dating world. God, she said to herself, how did I get myself into this? She settled down into the office chair and clicked on the picture. Ugg, not for me. So she pushed the search button and scanned the faces that were supposed to match with her. Looking at their eyes, their smile – trying to find someone who seemed familiar, someone to fill the huge void in her heart. She knew that it was really too soon to start dating again, but the computer drew her in and […]
The Holidays: Plan, Set Boundaries, Smile
November 18, 2011
For some reason, we all have embedded in our minds that once Thanksgiving arrives, it is time to increase the level of stress we place on ourselves. No matter what type of planning we do for the holiday season, we all tend to let the gift-giving and the changes in daily schedule and family dynamics affect our holiday season. Couple that with grieving the loss of a loved one, and it is enough to push even the strongest person over their threshold. Now add the workplace stress, and there seems to be no hope for survival through the tough, lonely […]
Grief Soup: The Mix of Emotions
November 16, 2011
If only grief were simple: sadness, tears, missing that beloved person. If only we could be alone in stillness with the absence (and the starting presence) of that dear person we’ve lost. Maybe then we could simply rest in the plain sorrow of love and let our grief be. What you get, though, is it not just grief but grief soup – a rich and varied blend of emotions that is as unique as you are. Grief soup is a mixture of love and sadness, fear and anger, regret and resentment, with a healthy dose of loneliness, most likely, and […]
Death of Spouse Prompts Re-assessment of Life
November 10, 2011
I read something recently that I wanted to share with you that I think articulates part of the miracle…yes, I did say miracle…of loss. Not the loss itself, of course…but what our (dare I say) rebirth when it happens. Mark Mettousek said: “It seems perverse that authenticity should stem from loss. The outline cracks, you split apart, half of you is left stranded on an iceberg floating into the chilly distance. You’re suspended in partiality, cut off from who you thought you were. This is when questioning starts, that’s the truth – when you can’t put yourself back together again, […]
Chanel No. 5: Bringing Wife’s Memory Alive
November 9, 2011
Chanel No. 5. It is a perfume name that I know. I can’t recall what it smells likes, yet I was married to a woman who wore it. I can recall the woman: her smile, her laugh, her facial expressions, and the way she looked at me. I have a small bottle of Channel No. 5 that I have keep. In the early years of my widowhood, I would remove the top and bring the bottle just under my nose and inhale. Then a miracle happened. She was alive: the feel of her hand on my hand, the sound of […]
Young Widow Watches Sons Grow into Men
November 4, 2011
I am a mom of two boys. I am mom to two boys who do not have their father around anymore as a model. I am a mom who, beyond words, loves being a mom of boys. When my husband died seven years ago, I knew that finding positive, male role models for my young sons would be one of the most relevant things I would do for them. My dad was there immediately for them. He shared a bond with my boys – he too lost his dad at a young age. He knew what it was like to grow up […]
Rachel Kodanaz; Returning to Work after a Loss
November 3, 2011
Rachel Kodanaz, is a national author and speaker. Her experience of becoming widowed, with a 2-year-old while working as an executive provided insight of the difficulties and gifts of the workplace while grieving a significant loss. Rachel has published a Grief in the Workplace program, is a columnist for Living with Loss and has appeared on Good Morning America. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/files/2011/10/Rachel-Kodanaz_01.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Physical Effects of Grief: Insomnia, Eating Problems, and More
October 27, 2011
When I suddenly lost my fiancé in a car accident, my body had a traumatic response to the situation. When we grieve the loss of someone we love so much and who had such a profound impact on our life, we do not get to choose how our body reacts. We can’t place an order to God and say, “God, I would like to be able to eat today without getting sick,” or “I would like to be able to sleep tonight at a normal time and without nightmares, disturbing dreams and constant waking up.” If only grief work was […]
Transitions: How to Recapture the ‘Drive’
October 26, 2011
Question from a Reader: How do you bring back the “drive”? The desire to improve one’s self? The desire to learn something new, or to go with your goal? Since my husband died nearly a year ago, I’ve lost this drive and it seems hard to get it back. I still want to achieve some goals, yet I can’t seem to find the focus, the desire to go for them unlike before. My mind is willing to try again, but my body is tired. One minute I feel like I’m going to accomplish something, the next I feel too tired. […]
