Valentine’s Day used to mean something different to me. Now, it’s a day that gently, and sometimes painfully, reminds me of my son Eric, who died 10 years ago on February 27, 2016. I am reminded of the love that didn’t end when his life did. The way grief has...
The new year arrives whether we are ready or not. It shows up boldly on the calendar, carrying expectations that we grievers often find off-putting or even offensive—fresh starts, renewed energy, established goals, a sense of forward motion. But our grief doesn’t work...
The New Year often prompts people to talk about fresh starts, clean slates, new beginnings, and moving forward. For those of us who are grieving, those words can feel heavy and even isolating. There were times when I dreaded facing a new year without Eric. But...
Grief isn’t seasonal. It doesn’t arrive or recede according to the calendar. And yet, our journey through it, our thoughts, our moods, our ways of making meaning, can be shaped by what’s happening around us. News cycles, weather patterns, holidays, cultural moments,...
In her book, It’s OK That You’re Not OK, Megan Devine presents an honest, direct discussion of both the pain of loss and the often grueling work of grief. Her tone is kind and supportive but she sugar-coats nothing, which is why I find her message of hope to resonate...
I’ve come to believe that even in our losses, we receive blessings. It isn’t always easy to recognize them, but I hope I can help you see what I mean. These blessings often connect to what we have come to know as the “ripple effects” of loss. When tragedy or trauma...
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