Writings

Here in the United States, we are just a few short weeks away from celebrating Thanksgiving. If you’re grieving, you may be feeling anything but thankful. This time of year is challenging as our hearts especially hurt over the holidays. As we make plans to get together with family, you may feel pressured to smileContinue reading “Hearts Especially Hurt Over the Holidays”

Here we are a mere 72 hours after the shocking death of Matthew Perry. Did I know Matthew? No, not personally. Yet, when I woke during the early morning hours after his death, my heart was so saddened for his family. I know firsthand how devastated his parents are feeling. With his rise to fameContinue reading “Friends Are Friends Forever”

A couple of weeks ago, I woke up in the wee hours of the morning with the following words in my heart: “How I long to breathe the air of heaven – where pain is gone, and mercy fills the streets.” They continued repeating until I finally sat up and wrote them down. When I got upContinue reading “The Day When Death Will Be No More”

Have you noticed how the change of seasons impacts the heart? I’m not sure it has as much to do with the change of seasons as it does with the fact the change of seasons ushers in the holidays. It’s a time when all the world is “H-A-P-P-Y” and you may begin to feel forcedContinue reading “Grief: Not Something to Rush Through”

When a loss occurs, we feel its impact in every way. All that was once normal is no longer. Life as we knew it will never be the same again, and change is the one constant in life whether we like it or not. Since Melanie ran ahead to heaven, I find that I’m a lot moreContinue reading “Change is the One Constant in Life”

It’s been a few years since I’ve written about self-care (Self Care or Selfish), but it remains an integral part in helping walk through the grief journey. Recently, I’ve been thinking that no matter how much time goes by, it’s still so important to protect your heart while you grieve. As the season changes fromContinue reading “Protect Your Heart While You Grieve”

If I’m being honest there are some days, when I’m simply exhausted by talking about grief. Oh, how I’d like to talk and write about something light and uplifting. Then, with my very next heartbeat, I know this is what I’m supposed to be doing. This is how God is making beauty from ashes, andContinue reading “Searching for Meaning in Grief”

When we think of those who are grieving, we tend to lean more toward the negative. After all, what do grief and loss bring? Intense sadness, anxiety, depression, fear, and even anger. But hold on. If we take a moment to look closely at a person who is walking the grief journey, I believe weContinue reading “Grievers are Survivors”

We often turn our anger toward God when we walk through grief and other challenging moments. When a loved one dies, it’s normal to question the faithfulness of God during hard times. After all, how could a good and faithful God have allowed this bad thing to happen to you and your family? If you’reContinue reading “The Faithfulness of God During Hard Times”

As I continue to meet others on this grief journey one of the most common questions I get is, “How long will grief last?” That seems to be the million-dollar question. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a definitive answer? Instead of being a one-size-fits-all, the road from grief to peace and acceptance differsContinue reading “The Road from Grief to Peace and Acceptance”

Today is International Overdose Awareness Day. Each year on this day I create a special post specifically dedicated to honor the memory of all those who were lost to overdose and the parents who are grieving them. My daughter, Melanie lost her life to the disease of addiction in 2020. Prior to that I neverContinue reading “International Overdose Awareness Day”

When our hearts are sorrowful, it can sometimes feel like we are walking through the wilderness. However, if you’ve ever gone hiking, walking through the wilderness can often bring a sense of peace. As we walk along the path, there is beauty that surrounds us. Often times those walks bring a sense of calmContinue reading “Walking Through the Wilderness”

On Tuesday afternoon, August 16, 1977, I was walking down the street with my portable transistor radio listening to the latest disco music. Then all of a sudden, the newscaster broke through and announced that Elvis Presley had died. I can still clearly remember having an overwhelming feeling of sadness. I couldn’t believe that the KingContinue reading “Elvis and My Dad”

If you’ve been walking this grief journey for any length of time, you are well acquainted with grief. But are you familiar with catastrophizing? Loss, trauma, and catastrophizing frequently go hand-in-hand for many of us who have lost a loved one. Until recently, I had never heard the phrase used in this context, butContinue reading “Loss, Trauma, and Catastrophizing”

During this time of year, many of us are sending our children back to school. Please tell me, where did the summer go? Time truly is moving by much too fast. I’m sitting here wondering how it is that we are sending our youngest off to his first year of high school tomorrow. Wasn’t itContinue reading “Lessons in Grief”

As we go through life, we carry many things with us – memories of our first loves, the day we got married, the births of our children, overall life experiences – both happy and sad. Inevitably, we also carry the hurts and losses – deaths of loved ones, broken relationships, job loss, wayward children. TheContinue reading “Carrying Our Bag of Sorrows”

When I was growing up, if someone died, my mother would immediately head for the kitchen, where she would begin cooking a beautiful Italian meal of sauce, meatballs, and pasta. She’d then ask my father to drive her over to that person’s house so she could sit with them. Inevitably, when we arrived, the houseContinue reading “The Emptiness of Grief”

The older I get, time seems to be more elusive. The battle for quiet time has become my opponent. While walking this grief journey, there are times when every moment seems like a battle. So, what have the best Generals in the Army done when they are in a fight? They create a plan toContinue reading “The Battle for Quiet Time”

When my husband and I first got married, I remember reading a book called, “Men Are Like Waffles, and Women Are Like Spaghetti.” Funny title, isn’t it? But one I’ve never forgotten. While the grief journey continues to ebb and flow, recently, Melanie has been strongly on my heart. I came across some photos of herContinue reading “Compartmentalizing Grief: Are You a Waffle or a Spaghetti?”

Every year the month of July is designated as Bereaved Parents Awareness Month. There was a time in my life when I never knew such a thing existed. However, now, as a parent who has a child who ran ahead to heaven, I’m all too painfully aware. At first, I wondered why we needed aContinue reading “Bereaved Parents Awareness Month”