The Month of Thanks

November 18th, 2011
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A Bowl of Hot Smashed Spuds…YUMMMM

As we ready for that time of year when we traditionally pause and give thanks, this year may be hard for some to find a reason to be thankful.

If you recently lost a loved one, a holiday celebration can exacerbate all the jumbled up feelings you are experiencing and trying to understand.

Thanksgiving was the first holiday that my son and I experienced following my husband’s death.  Our son was thirteen at the time and he and I decided to stay with our usual Thanksgiving routine of having dinner at my parent’s house … Read More

Bridge of Love

November 11th, 2011
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Photograph by Philippe GaravelIn Paris, lovers fasten padlocks to the railings of the Pont des Arts bridge.  The couple then tosses  the keys into the Seine river below, symbolizing their eternal love. Happy Friday everyone!  The following quote is from the last paragraph of the novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thorton Wilder. I’m sharing it because I think it captures the essence of what we all strive to do while we are trying rebuilding our lives after the loss of a person near and dear to us: “We ourselves shall be loved for a while and forgotten. … Read More

One Special Date; Two Memories

November 9th, 2011
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My niece is getting married this Saturday and everyone in my large boisterous family is looking forward to getting together and celebrating this wonderful occasion.  Months and months of preparation have gone into planning this special day and I think my sister will absolutely have a fit if it doesn’t all go off perfectly! No matter what happens, I know it will be a beautiful day, a day filled with great memories.  For me, it will be another reason why Nov. 12 stands out on the calendar.  My niece’s wedding will also be sharing the date of the day my… Read More

Read All About It

October 19th, 2011
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A friend called me the other evening to talk about the obituary of a mutual friend recently published in a national newspaper.  He said he and others were beside themselves because the obituary didn’t do a very good job of capturing what the guy was really about.  To him, it seemed rather flat and cold and the very thought of it made him do a slow burn. I knew exactly how he felt because I have been there.  I had my own issues with my husband’s obituary.  Maybe this annoyance with the lack of important details in obituaries is an… Read More

Healing Help

October 17th, 2011
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  Photo credit: Samantha Kira Harding   When you are in a place where you are searching to rebuild your life after the loss of a loved one and trying to find “a new normal” for yourself and your children, recognizing, addressing and expressing the strong emotions associated with grief can be helpful in getting you to a heal place. Moving forward takes time.  Unfortunately, there is no set schedule for when you are considered to be officially “healed.”  It would be comforting to be able to predict exactly how long it will take for you to deal with your… Read More

Animal Adoration

October 1st, 2011
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This story addresses children and pets but I think it also pertains to adults…Love the pictures! Animal Attraction Why kids adore animals and what they can learn from all creatures, great and small By Gail F. Melson Ph.D From Parent & Child Magazine A whirling 4 year old comes to a screeching halt, transfixed by the fish swimming lazily around an aquarium in the pediatrician’s waiting room. A 6 year old, home from school, showers the family dog with hugs and kisses before saying hi to Mom. A 10 year old chooses her gerbil, Misty, as the subject of her… Read More

An Online Chatting Momento

September 21st, 2011
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Courtesy of Good Magazine You’re online and you decide you want to chat.  It’s a normal, casual thing that lots of people regularly do.  It saves time and money and you don’t think too much about what you’re saying to the other person except that you keep it brief.  Blah, blah, blah…..blah, blah, blah. Yet is online chatting really as casual as you think? It’s popular now for people to save their chat records just as they save copies of their email correspondence or a voice message left on an answering machine. This is a new concept for me because… Read More

Michelle Williams Now

September 14th, 2011
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Actress Michelle Williams is finding a place to heal. By setting her own pace and allowing herself to feel the pain and imbalance of grieving, Williams says she has found new strength, new energy and hope as she takes on the complex role of Marilyn Monroe.  In a new interview with Vogue magazine, Williams talks about the 2008 death of actor and ex-boyfriend Heath Ledger as a deep loss that continues to affect her outlook on life, changing her as a parent, a friend and as an actress.  But with the passage of time, she is rebuilding her life, adapting… Read More

Ted Olson On Loss & Love

September 12th, 2011
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There is no single path on the road to healing and resilience. Different people take different steps, drawing on their own strengths and what works best for them. Here is one person’s chosen path….Perhaps you can draw strength from Ted Olson’s grief experience. Ted Olson on loss and love  in the decade since 9/11 By Roxanne Roberts and Amy Argetsinger The Washington Post 9/12/11 Ted Olson in his office at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher last year. (Jahi Chikwendiu/ The Washington Post) Ted Olson spent his 71st birthday Sunday at his family’s lakeside property in Northern Wisconsin. He was invited to… Read More