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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Improve Your Relationship in Two Easy Steps
June 9, 2008
There’s no way to stay in a long-term relationship and not have issues.
Hurts, frustrations, “you weren’t there for me,” “I can’t believe you said that, betrayls and disappointments are all a part of being human.
Whether you’re in a committmed relationship, married, have children, adult children, siblings, and even friends must eventually hit this road block […]
Can You Grieve Too Much?
June 5, 2008
Grieving is natural. It’s good for you. It’s necessary.
But can you take grief too far?
What is “too far?”
What’s right and necessary for one is dangerous for another.
I recently watched “Reign Over Me”about a man (played brilliantly by Adam Sandler–not his usual comedic role) who loses his wife and three daughters in the airplane crash […]
How to Live with Family Members Without Hating Each Other
June 1, 2008
Face it, times are tough.
Can you afford to stay in your own home? Are you well enough to manage everything on your own?
Are you recently widowed and wonder if living by yourself is such a good idea?
Are you a boomer or sandwich generationer wondering how to care for/pay for your kids, your parents and save […]
For Memorial Day
May 26, 2008
I would like to share a fond Memorial Day memory of my deceased mother, Phyllis Jensen.? Mother was a member of the Civic Improvement Club in our small town.? One of her duties was to wire red cellophane poppies on to the white crosses which marked the graves of veterans in our local cemetery.? Faithfully […]
What Are the Death Rattles?
May 20, 2008
Rattles
Mother has what they call the death rattle.
Every time she takes a breath there?s a rattle. Technically it?s congestive heart failure?the fluid around her heart is building up and her body can?t process it, so it?s filling up in her lungs.
?
I remember when Mother said she had that little kitten in her chest. […]
How to Care-give and Not Kill Yourself in the Process
May 15, 2008
There’s a new kind of caregiver out there.
She (or he) is a savvy caregiver, isn’t a martyr, and doesn’t look defeated (all the time).
She (I use the feminine pronoun to apply to everyone)?has her act together (in some respects) and isn’t going to let her life and her plans be completely derailed–and yet she loves […]
Mother’s Day When You’ve Lost Your Mother
May 12, 2008
Writer Carol O’Dell explores her conflicting thoughts and feelings on the fifth Mother’s Day after her mom’s death
When I Miss Her: A Mother’s Day Tribute
May 7, 2008
It’s the simple things I miss about my mother.
Just two women shopping. Someone to be with. Someone who knows me better than I wanted her to.
Happy Mother’s Day, mom.
I’ll?always?miss you, and I’ll always carry you in my heart.
I hope you enjoy this excerpt from my book, Mothering Mother:
When I Miss Her
I miss Mother when I […]
What I’ve Learned About Caregiving
May 6, 2008
This June, my mother will celebrate her sixth anniversary “on the other side.”
I can hardly believe it’s been that long. I spent the first year in grief and rebuilding my life.
That’s normal, and you can’t rush it or fix it. It was more like two years, and that’s also “normal.”
That’s how long it takes to […]
