Category: Creative Grief Writing

My Mom Lives in Me

On January 23rd, it will be two years since my mom died. Time is funny. It seems like yesterday and forever since I saw her and heard her voice. My thoughts keep returning to her this week and how she still fills so much space in my life. I think about how she’s influenced my…… Continue reading My Mom Lives in Me

Finding My Superpower

I had never watched Marvel movies or had much interest in them. I tend to like independent films that are more story-driven than action. I recently attended a monthly free online workshop by Wendy Kessler on “Superhero Grief: The Transformative Power of Loss” by Jill Harrington. It gave me new insight into the world of…… Continue reading Finding My Superpower

Love Lives On

Long before I heard the term continuing bonds, I was already practicing them with the people I loved who had died. The collage I made represents some of the ways I continue my connections. I have a porcelain doll on my shelf that belonged to my maternal grandmother. She died when I was in 7th…… Continue reading Love Lives On

Continuing Bonds

One of the most painful things about death is the loss of the physical presence of your loved one. Gone are the phone calls, visits home, and shared memories. These connections gave you a sense of your place in the world and a feeling of being grounded. But, without these beloved people, how do you…… Continue reading Continuing Bonds

This Sad Season

I was listening to the “What’s Your Grief Podcast” episode on Holiday Musings on Family & Impermanence today, and I had an aha moment when Eleanor was sharing how her part 1 was when she was a kid and part 2 after her mom died. This resonates with me as I struggle with this holiday…… Continue reading This Sad Season

My Heart is Your Home

We built memories in the house Where we once lived. Parties, holidays, card games, and cookouts All were welcome to attend There was always room around our dining room table, No matter the number of guests. People would spill out into the back porch and yard in the summertime. We’d nestle around the kitchen table…… Continue reading My Heart is Your Home

When your heart is broken And you think that you can’t take one more heartache Bravery is not fighting dragons or being a superhero. It’s getting up every morning to face a new day. Showering and getting dressed. Eating Doing your job the best that you can. Crying as you drive, walk, sit, or whatever… Continue reading Bravery in the Face of Grief

Different Boat, Same Storm

Last week, I went to see the film “The Same Storm,” which was made during the pandemic, using Zoom as the actors filmed from their own homes. It revolves around the need for connection during the isolation and uncertainty in the spring and summer of 2020. The quote from a poem written by Damien Barr…… Continue reading Different Boat, Same Storm

Dis/Connected

There is a place that exists when the person you love dies. I see the world through a veil, Dis/Connected from the world around me. I’m physically present, but my being is somewhere else. I can see nature’s beauty and hear the birds singing, And yet, they feel like a distant reminder of life. There’s…… Continue reading Dis/Connected

Life Preservers

Grief is like being set adrift in a raging sea where I struggle to keep my head above water. I’m always looking for that life preserver to keep me from sinking. For me, that comes in books about grief by people who have lived that experience. Some are written by counselors, while others are memoirs.…… Continue reading Life Preservers