Posts Tagged: resilience

Unbroken By Laura Hillenbrand

August 19th, 2011
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Resilience is having the capacity to bounce back from change, failure or trauma.  Some people are lucky enough to be born with tons of relience and others of us constantly work on it.

If you are looking for insight into the boundaries of resilience, then please read, “Unbroken,” by Laura Hillenbrand.  You may remember Laura Hillenbrand for the exceptional research and writing she gave us in her first book, “Seabiscuit.”  Hillenbrand’s new book, “Unbroken,” is the compelling story of Louis Zamperini, a talented and ferociously competitive runner who participated in the Berlin Olympics and is a World War II hero. 

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One Hilarious Beach Memory

August 13th, 2011
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Photo By Emily Noonan My son and I vacation at Bethany Beach, the same beach we have been enjoying since he was a toddler.  It’s also the same beach where I vacationed as a child.  This conjures up all sorts of memories for both of us and it gives my son a sense of stability.  We can’t imagine going anywhere else. The first time we vacationed in Bethany after my husband’s death, it was jarring, but we stayed positive and survived.  I had some meltdowns but they were in private.  More importantly, keeping up the vacation tradition gave us confidence… Read More

Sharing Your Personal Stories

July 29th, 2011
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Hi Everyone!!! Cry, Laugh, Heal is a place where all are welcome, where the sad, silly and satisfying aspects of grief and resilience are explored.  Everyone is welcome to join in and share their experiences about loss and trying to get back into the groove of living life.  We learn from each other plus you never know when your story may help someone else struggling with their grief feelings. When we share our thoughts and feelings with others, we find we are not alone. It may feel as though it is only happening to you, but then when you reach… Read More

Harry Potter & His Parents

July 22nd, 2011
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Hi readers!  Today we have a guest blogger, Ryan O’Toole, a rising senior at Fordham University, and in the interest of full disclosure, my son: Isn’t it funny that there are words for people whose spouses die?  A woman whose husband dies is called a widow, while a man whose wife dies is called a widower. Now the sheer existence of these words might not seem odd to you at face value, but doesn’t it strike you as a weird oversight of the English language that we do not have words for children who lose a parent?  I have thought… Read More

Bestselling Author Ann Kaiser Stearns, PhD — Save The Date

July 9th, 2011
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Although Widowed Persons Outreach provides help for those who are widowed, this October 19th, the 2011 conference is open to everyone! You may be a professional or helping a friend or family member through loss and want to deepen your skills and understanding.  Or you yourself may be experiencing a loss. Whatever your situation, this conference will give you comfort and hope. Bestselling author Dr. Ann Kaiser Stearns brings a powerful message to those dealing with the pain of a loss. When a loved one dies, a marriage or important relationship ends, a financial or health crisis occurs, or even… Read More

Feeling Like A Firework

July 2nd, 2011
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  This July 4th holiday weekend may be your first holiday without a loved one.  It may be full of poignant memories, making it difficult to participate and enjoy the fireworks, parades and backyard cook-outs. I recently found some helpful suggestions on healing from Capital Hospice’s Survivor’s Guide and thought I would share the following in case you are having a difficult time: — It is okay to feel lousy.  Some days will be worse than others.  There is no logical progression to these feelings and that is okay. –Cry if you need to. –In dealing with guilt associated with… Read More

21 Candles

June 25th, 2011
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Today, I am sending out a special message to my fantastic son today on his 21st birthday: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! MAY LOVE, GOOD HEALTH AND HAPPINESS BE YOURS, TODAY AND ALWAYS!!!!!!!!!!!! MAY YOU HAVE MANY, MANY MORE BIRTHDAYS, FULL OF FAMILY & FRIENDS. .  I’M SO PROUD OF YOU!!! XO MOM… Read More

Daddies Day

June 19th, 2011
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This post is a big shout out to all of the wonderful men out there who love and provide for their beautiful children.  If your Dad is no longer alive, I hope you tell funny and sentimental stories about him today or think about the special things you did together.  I’d also like to give some recognition to the fantastic men who continually reach out to the children who need a Dad in their lives. Father’s Day is a celebration of all Dads and all of the important emotional and material contributions they make for the good of their families… Read More

Can We Tawk? Please?

May 30th, 2011
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  Reach out and listen No matter what phase of grief you find yourself in, people usually are curious to know if what they are feeling and doing is the “normal” way to handle their situation.  I think this happens because grief is not a subject considered to be mainstream.  It makes people uncomfortable and is not discussed as freely and as frankly as you might discuss other subjects, say food or men. People don’t bring it up because they think it will upset you, they are anxious about their emotions or they just have no idea what to say. … Read More