Working Through Grief

Sally Ride

July 24th, 2012
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Sally Ride

“What’s it like to be in space?”  “Is it scary?”  Is it cold?”  “Do you have trouble sleeping?”

These are the first sentences from a wonderful book that astronaut Sally Ride wrote in 1986 with her childhood friend, Dr. Susan Oakie, who once was a medical reporter for The Washington Post.
Everyone always has tons of questions about what it feels like to be in space and Ride and Oakie’s book, titled To Space & Back, was written to give children a sense of what it feels like to circle the Earth, experience being weightless and even … Read More

Foxhole People

July 23rd, 2012
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There are people in my life that I call  my “foxhole people.”  These are the family and friends that I would want next to me were I fighting a “war” involving a personal crisis and I found that I needed support to get through my “combat situation.”  I know that these people would instantly jump into the foxhole with me and they would stay with me through thick and thin until it was over.  It doesn’t matter who these people are, what matters to me is that I know the people who would do this for me and that I… Read More

A Young Boy’s Healing Message

July 16th, 2012
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Johnny Karlinchak and his neighbor, Elissa Myers Photo by Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post When I want to help myself, I do something for someone else.  So does Johnny Karlinchak. When I’m busy and totally involved in helping someone else, I forget about what is happening to me. I feel as though I am building good karma for myself and that I am part of something much bigger.  Granted, when you are in the throes of grieving, this might not be one of the first thoughts that enters your head, but in trying to feel better about your life, being selfless … Read More

God Bless The Child

July 10th, 2012
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Children are not small adults who can basically raise themselves.  Children can be resilient but only to a point. Being the oldest of six children, having 35 first cousins and also being a mother has taught me that children are much smarter than we ever give them credit for, but that doesn’t mean that they understand all that is happening to them in their homes, schools or in the world at large. Their bodies, brains and emotions are still developing and they need all the love and guidance we can give them. I am a big believer in honesty when… Read More

Niall Coti-Sears’ Bravery

July 2nd, 2012
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Niall Coti-Sears Courtesy of Fox 5 News As we prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July by setting off fireworks, grilling hot dogs and hamburgers and mixing the traditional summer potato salad, let us pause and quietly remember the bravery of one young man who heroically fought overseas for his country, making it possible for us to celebrate this patriotic holiday. One young man by the name of Niall Coti-Sears. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Sadly, in pursuit of protecting those ideals, Lance Cpl. Niall Coti-Sears, 23, was killed in Helmand province, Afghanistan, two weeks ago while conducting… Read More

Nora Ephron

June 28th, 2012
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Nora Ephron By Michel Arnaud/Corbis As the very sad news broke that Nora Ephron had died at the age of 71 from acute myeloid leukemia, it was immediately apparent from reading people’s tweets and posted comments that Ephron’s death was a tragic surprise and no one wanted to accept the dismal fact that we would no longer be able to look forward to the creation of another amazing, magical piece of work from her. As Vanity Fair writer David Kamp declared, “…New York without Nora Ephron is just plain wrong.” Her writing was sophisticated yet straightforward and she had a… Read More

My Paper Chase

June 27th, 2012
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I mentioned in yesterday’s post that I’ve started going through a number of boxes of papers that once belonged to my husband. For those of you who have found yourselves responsible for the belongings of a spouse, friend or relative after they died, you know this is not a straightforward process.  Each of these boxes I have decided to examine is potentially an emotional minefield because I don’t know what’s contained in them.  My husband filled them up and now they are waiting for my attention. You might be thinking, “It’s just old papers.  What’s the big deal?”  Since my… Read More

A Hotel Room of Her Own — Every Day for 10 Years

June 22nd, 2012
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Joy Brinker I think most of us can identify with unexpectedly finding ourselves in a situation when we thought it would be temporary, but then, time passes and it evolves into something else we never thought it would, and then it becomes permanent. When I first read the headline on this story, I thought: “How could someone live in a hotel for 10 years?”  But then I read the story and I got it. We say that everyone grieves differently and that we should respect the different ways people deal with their grief, but when we actually see someone who… Read More

It’s Never Too Late

June 21st, 2012
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It is never too late to acknowledge someone’s loss. Whether it is weeks or months after the loss has occurred, those who are closest to the deceased will always want to hear how that person made a difference in the lives of other people.  It may feel awkward, but it’s helpful to those mourning if you can relate a positive memory, a favorite expression or any helpful advice the person once gave to you. There are times when you hear about someone’ s loss many months after it happened and you don’t know what to do.  Should I call?  Should… Read More