Sometimes out of the blue, you’ll hear a song or smell a fragrance that reminds you of your loved one and the tears start. You may find yourself saying “Am I ever going to get over this? Will a time come when I don’t get blindsided by a remark someone makes that reminds me of […]
Read MoreA new pet has adopted me. I probably wouldn’t have chosen him. He just ended up in my yard and decided it was the place for him to be. My son even named him Rodney the Rooster. Roosters are ubiquitous in Hawaii. You’ll see them at airports, in parking lots, and at outdoor restaurants. Unfortunately, […]
Read MoreMy family lived through the Depression, yet I never would have known that had I not taken a US History class in high school. People just didn’t talk about those days. Actually, my family didn’t talk much about the past at all. I was a curious child, but there were no answers for me. […]
Read MoreDo you pay attention to the universe? In my younger years I lived in a bubble of paying attention only to what was directly around me. There was so much I had to focus on: Would I be able to pay the bills? Would I be able to find childcare I trusted and could afford? […]
Read MoreI spend time online each day with the social media I do to help people deal with grief, and lately I keep hearing the same theme. People say that things will never be the same, that they have lost so much, and they feel lost. I’ve had times that I have felt that way too. […]
Read MoreHow would you describe the path for your grief? Does it seem like there should be a map or a guidebook or a plan that says “First you do this. Then that. Then you go through something else. And after a while it’s done.” When you look at it like that, it sounds silly. And […]
Read MoreI ran across a quote by Michael Bernard Beckwith: “It’s not the world’s job to make you happy. It’s your job to bring happiness into the world.” I’ve been thinking lots about happiness lately. When I feel happy, I can relax and enjoy all that’s good in my life. After Jacques died, I read Marci […]
Read MoreI wrote an Instagram post this week that said, “I have heard that the death of a spouse is the number one stressor in life.” I realize now that I inspired anger and comparison, and that was not my intention for making this statement. Each experience of grief is unique and any comparison in grief […]
Read MoreI watched a movie in the year 2000 that had a profound effect on the rest of my life. Pay it Forward is the story of a junior high school student who did a project for his social studies class. The premise is that when he did something of value for someone else, instead of […]
Read MoreThe week between Christmas and New Year’s, I always find myself looking back at the year that is ending. I reflect on my favorite things that happened, consider things I would like to have been better, and think about what I would like to be differently in the new year. Loving and Living Your […]
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