Posts Tagged: bereavement

Melissa’s Story

December 4th, 2012
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Melissa Betrand Knights (baseball cap) with her children
After a loved one dies, we try to find ways to stay connected to them even though they are no longer physically with us.
Our memories of being with that person, or of just the person by themselves, is a strong bond that can never be broken.  Sometimes we save a piece of clothing they wore or some everyday item that brings great meaning to us.  Being in a particular place, smelling a scent or hearing a song can bring those strong memories back to us without any notice but sometimes that … Read More

Sometimes A Decision Is Made For You

November 8th, 2012
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Maybe it’s a bit of an election “hangover” or perhaps a reflection of my personal life, but lately it seems as though I have been on a decision-making bender of sorts. Has this ever happened to you?  I’m not sure if it’s true for you or not, but when it’s happening to me it feels as though I am going from one decision to the next with no breaks.  These decisions vary in importance — from stuff around the house to personal issues — but still they seem to keep coming at me with no end in sight. Just when… Read More

The Adventures of A Treasured Urn

November 2nd, 2012
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Today I am not trying to make fun of a serious situation, it’s just that being responsible for a container of a loved one’s ashes can lend itself to a lot of funny situations even if you don’t mean for it to be funny. In my case, my husband was not cremated.  I know if he had been cremated, I would have taken very good care of his ashes.  But eventually, knowing me, I’m sure some kind of accident would have happened. Having his ashes stored in an urn in the house might have started out to be a comforting… Read More

It’s Not What You Think

October 26th, 2012
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  To show you how little I knew about loss and the grieving process, I thought that the first year after my husband’s death was going to be the hardest time that I would ever have to experience.  My thinking was something along the lines of  “If I can get the first year under my belt, then each year after that will become easier to handle.” Right? Guess what? Not. Always. True. Grief is always full of surprises and just when you think you have it under control, you don’t. The first year was so raw with emotion for me… Read More

The Big 300

October 22nd, 2012
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Today marks my 300th post. It’s a personal milestone and truly a huge deal for me.  Big thanks go out to all of my family (especially my son, Ryan, who is my biggest blog cheerleader), friends and readers out there in the internet world who read Cry, Laugh, Heal.   You give me more than you know and I read and respond to all of the great feedback I receive!  And I hope to receive lots more feedback as I continue to write about the incredibly silly, sometimes sad and mostly spontaneous events that happen to me on my new journey… Read More

A Sweet Smile

October 8th, 2012
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  Photo By Sam Costanza When I first saw this story I thought it was about a guy driving a cab in New York City who just liked to give candy to his customers for fun. But the story is more than that. This quirky story is really about coming to terms with a loss in your life and how this man, who drives a cab in New York City, found a way to rebuild his life and make it less painful by bringing a smile to others.  It certainly is a unique way of dealing with grief. Wouldn’t you… Read More

Aren’t You Over It Yet?

October 3rd, 2012
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I am Catholic but I often find strength and wisdom in the teachings of other religions.  We’re all here in the same boat and we’re all here to get along, so why not reach out and see what we can learn from each other? With that thought in mind, I am sharing a short insightful piece that a friend gave to me.   It is written by a rabbi and I found his thoughts to be very comforting.  I hope you do too: Getting Over It By Rabbi Earl A. Grollman My wife died fourteen months ago.  Even though I don’t… Read More

Happy, Feliz, Joyeux,

September 27th, 2012
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Photo By Carla Culbertson Cranston If only we could live our lives just as these two beautiful children are! Spontaneously and happily! But here’s the thing: WE CAN!!! Surpringly, we have more control over our happiness than you would think. Current research shows that part of our happiness is determined by our temperament or personality.  Many people believe our personalities are locked in from birth because it comes from our DNA.  That’s great if you have a bright, sunny personality.  But if you have a sour, negative personality, and you want to be happier, there is are some things that… Read More

A Widow’s New Chapter

September 26th, 2012
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Photo By Flickr Dating — whether single, widowed or divorced — is a definite roll of the dice.  But if you hit and find your match, it’s a gambler’s dream come true! That is why I think the author of the following story was brave to write about getting back into the high-stakes mating game and answering the questions we would want to ask her if we knew her.  She is honest and direct in the telling of her story and that’s why you want to keep reading. The questions posed here by the author are the ones that people… Read More