Working Through Grief

Walking & Wandering

March 6th, 2012
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I was walking downtown the other day and started to think about what it would be like if I ran into my husband.  I know, I know.  There is no way that I am going to suddenly see my husband casually walking down K street or any other street near my office or my home but this is how your mind works sometimes after someone you love very much has died whether it’s a spouse, a parent, a child or a friend.

Granted, my husband died eight years ago but sometimes when I’m walking my mind wanders and one thought … Read More

Something To Think About

March 1st, 2012
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In the midst of your grieving, be patient with yourself and others   and   do something kind for yourself each day.   Be sure to ask for help when you need it.   You are loved!… Read More

Meryl Streep & Margaret Thatcher

February 25th, 2012
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When Hollywood hands out its little gold statuettes tomorrow night, we’ll find out how The Academy voted on the nomination of Meryl Streep and her empathetic performance in the role of Margaret Thatcher as a politician and a wife.  The story is primarily about a British woman attaining so much power in the 1980’s that she became Britian’s first woman prime minister. But the movie is also a love story and a reminder that no matter how high the government position you are elected to, no matter how much money you make, no matter how much privilege surrounds you, human… Read More

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

February 17th, 2012
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We’ve all played the game of “woulda, shoulda, coulda” and no one ever wins. If you weren’t with your loved one when their death occurred, you might be thinking about all of the things that would be different if you had been there.  You’re thinking about how your present life might be very different if you had been with your loved one at their time of death. You might even think you could have prevented it from happening.  “I could have done more” “If only I had gone for a visit earlier/later in the day,” “I should have stayed with… Read More

Whitney Houston

February 13th, 2012
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Whitney Houston & her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Whenever I hear Whitney Houston’s version of the song, “I’m Every Woman,” I feel better. It has everything to do with the way Whitney Houston’s fabulous voice sounds when she sings this song.  It’s not exactly about the lyrics, it’s more about the melody and where she magically takes it.  Even though Chaka Khan recorded the original version of the song and I loved it, Whitney Houston brought something extra to “I’m Every Woman” that can’t be described. Chaka is definitely funky but Whitney is powerful. Over and over as her colleagues in… Read More

SWF Seeks Replacement Husband

February 9th, 2012
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I found this touching and beautifully written story, SWF Seeks Replacement Husband, on Hello Grief (http://www.hellogrief.org/), one of the many blogs I follow. As I read it, I can sense the author gathering her inner strength as she transitions from widow to a single woman on the dating scene. It’s not easy out there and I give the author a lot of credit for her honesty. By Hello Grief “Online dating?” I said, trying to keep the sound of horror out of my voice. “Seems impersonal.” “It’s kind of fun,” my colleague was saying. “You write a profile and post… Read More

Love Peace & Soul — Don Cornelius

February 3rd, 2012
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Soul Train was something you got right away or you didn’t. If you had to explain why you watched it, then you knew Soul Train’s appeal had escaped the other person. From the get go, the very first time I watched Soul Train I was hooked.  Every Saturday morning I would turn it on, turn it up, watch it and dance.  How else was a young white girl gonna stay on top of the latest dance moves?  News stories say that Soul Train was a black American Bandstand but really we all know that Soul Train was so much more. … Read More

Sympathy Cards

January 31st, 2012
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Recently, I sat at my desk, intending to write a sympathy card to a good friend but found myself floundering.  I started writing a few phrases and then stopped. I couldn’t find the right words that I thought would offer comfort.  It was a struggle to get my thoughts on paper and it seemed as if everything I wrote sounded awkward. I started again.  I opened the card and started to write and stopped.  Maybe I was over thinking what I wanted to say, but everything I came up with sounded so trite.  Of course, I was sorry and very… Read More

Discovering The Silver Pen

January 18th, 2012
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A close relative just shared this insightful poem with me and my first reaction to it is that  J. Hendel totally nailed it! This poem and others can be found on a beautiful website called The Silver Pen (www.thesilverpen.com).  When I first logged on to The Silver Pen a few days ago, I wondered how I could have missed knowing about this great site since it has been on the internet for a little over three years.  Things like this make me nervous because I start to wonder what else is out there that I don’t know about.  Oh well…I’m… Read More