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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Aging and Fear: Choose a Different Path
November 25, 2008
As I was caregiving my mother, I couldn’t help but observe my mother’s words and actions. If you live with someone, talk and listen, you begin to notice patterns. The same old things get said day in and day out. We’re all such creatures of habit. As my mother continued to age, she lost her ability to filter her thoughts or hide her fears. It got me thinking about where I am now…and who I will become. What concerns will linger and play and replay like a needle stuck on a record? What judgements will slip out when I am too tired or too […]
Caregivers: There’s Nothing More Important Than a Good Conversation
November 14, 2008
I love the Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi–the beauty found in imperfection. There’s nothing more imperfect than family life. The fusses, fights, secrets, and misunderstandings add texture to your life–and salt to your stories. I found this definition at Nobel Harbor, written by Tadao Ando, a Japanese architect. This essay on Wabi Sabi so touched me that I thought I’d share it–it’s how I strive to live my life. Pared down to its barest essence, wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in nature, of accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death. It’s simple, slow, […]
What To Say When Someone’s Parent Has Died
November 14, 2008
By Annette Gonzalez — My parents died within five months of one another. This was a most difficult time in my life, and I was looking to family and friends for strength and comfort. At my parents’ funerals, people would say things to me that were of no comfort. In fact, some of their words made me feel worse. I’m sure that these people did not want to be insensitive; it’s just difficult to know what to say. Sometimes the right words of comfort elude us. I believe at times, it is appropriate to say nothing. I remember people telling […]
Pamela Gabbay: Adult Children Losing Parents
November 13, 2008
Pamela has lost both of her parents, she is a counselor who has used her experience to help others. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2010/11/Pamela-Gabbay-111308.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Alexander Levy: Losing Parents in Adulthood
November 13, 2008
Alexander Levy explores the journey of coping with grief and change after losing parents when in adulthood. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2010/10/Alexander-Levy-111308.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Has Caregiving Changed You?
November 11, 2008
Has caregiving changed you? Do you no longer feel like yourself? Has a part of you died? I know. I felt this too. I felt like I lost myself in some way. I lost my spontaneity, at times, my hope, and most days, my freedom. But I’m here to let you know that it won’t always be this way. Yes, caregiving disrupts your life. Yes, caregiving dumps stress on your life by the bucket load. Yes, caregiving will test every physical, emotional and moral fiber you have–and it hunts for frays and weak spots. But I’d still do it again. (I […]
Alcoholic Families Create Legacy of Loss
November 7, 2008
By Penelope Wesley — We usually don’t think of alcoholism as a loss, but it creates ripples of loss in every direction. My experience with alcohol and abuse consists of being raised with an alcoholic father and a mother who turned to drinking later and attempted to hide it, and my own struggle with drinking to drown out my memories. These memories included watching my mother being physically abused and being chased around the house by my father with a butcher knife. I grew up in fear of anger and became afraid to talk. I often feared that my father would go to […]
