Death of a Parent, Self Care

Getting Through my First Father’s Day Without Dad

Monday, June 13, 2022

‘You No Longer Have a Dad’ I never did much for my dad on Father’s Day.  We didn’t have any particular traditions to mark the occasion.  It was the same for birthdays and anniversaries – both his and mine.  Sometimes we sent cards and phoned to say, “I love you.” Other times we went out to dinner.   No fuss.  We were all busy. This year is different, though.  My dad passed away, suddenly and unexpectedly, from a heart attack while driving home from work.  This is my first Father’s Day without Dad. I’m not going to lie – it’s rough.  […]

Open to Hope

Father’s Day: A Duel Between Happiness and Sadness

Friday, June 17, 2016

The first Father’s Day I remember was when I was 8 or 9, and my dad and I were on an “Indian Guides” camping weekend with our “Tribe.” “Indian Guides” was a father and son organization run by the YMCA, and that weekend lots of fathers and their boys went camping in cabins, roughing it, and bonding. The Sunday morning that weekend was Father’s Day, and I had, with the help of my mother, hidden a pair of socks, wrapped neatly in my bag, so I could surprise my dad with a present when he woke up. Turns out, I […]

Open to Hope

My Father’s Final Gift

Saturday, June 14, 2014

I would like to share my father’s final gift with you – a gift he unknowingly gave to me in death.  I received this most precious gift on a beautiful sunny day in April.  I’ll never forget the sky, it was so blue and the air was so crisp – God had created a simply gorgeous Spring day.  It was hard for me to imagine that anyone (much less my father) could be dying on such a glorious, beautiful day… I remember I didn’t want to go to the hospital to visit my father on that beautiful day. I knew I […]

Children & Teens, Death of a Spouse, Special Topics

Thanks to the Men who Help Kids After Father Loss

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

When my husband died, I knew it would be important to my boys to have men around and in their lives. Since they would no longer have their trail guide, it was up to me to make sure men of good character, who were loving, compassionate and wise were a part of their lives. I can’t imagine a boy growing up without his dad. I live it every day though. My dad grew up without his dad, so I knew it was possible for them, but also knew they would need some extra loving care. Cue – my brothers – […]