Tag: coping with grief

Coping Tools for Dealing with Grief and Stress: A Personal Journey

When I get a call at an unexpected time from my daughter, my brain goes to a place where something’s wrong, or someone has died. I know that this is her reaction as well because we have lived through the traumatic sudden death of my husband and her father. Last week, she called me from…… Continue reading Coping Tools for Dealing with Grief and Stress: A Personal Journey

Navigating Grief: Lessons from Road Work

Phoenix, like most cities, seems to be under constant road construction. The other day, I was heading to a meeting and running late when the road narrowed to one lane. Unsure of how far the construction would be, I debated turning off to a side street but continued on the route. Fortunately, when I got…… Continue reading Navigating Grief: Lessons from Road Work

Nostalgic Memories and Family Traditions: A Personal Reflection

The wisps of melancholy flow through my body as the airplane lifts off the Syracuse tarmac, and I head back home to Phoenix. It has been a whirlwind weekend celebrating my daughter’s wedding and seeing family and friends. As I move across the sky, my body aches as I leave those I love behind and…… Continue reading Nostalgic Memories and Family Traditions: A Personal Reflection

Grief Ghost: Coping With Loss and Memories

Grief Ghost It’s living with the ghost of Christmas Past, for no more memories can be made. Images that appear in your dreams Or your thoughts in the middle of the night As you lie awake, sleep evades you. It comes unbidden when those special days draw near. Wedding anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, death dates, and…… Continue reading Grief Ghost: Coping With Loss and Memories

Unrequited Dreams

Empty chairs where we will never sit, Holding hands, reminiscing. Time stolen by an adversary Too strong to be beaten. You left too soonLeaving me behind to find a new path.Some days, the grief is the background staticSwirling around in my mind.Just when I’m feeling steady in my journey,The grief becomes a tsunami,Tearing apart the…… Continue reading Unrequited Dreams

Illness and Grief

“A Shadow of Myself” @beautifulbittersweetlife Last night, I looked at the Phoenix Film Festival website, an organization for which I’ve been a volunteer photographer since 2016. It is one of my favorite yearly events. It allows me to connect with fellow volunteers, meet people who make independent films, see interesting films that aren’t available in…… Continue reading Illness and Grief

When a Friend Dies

I have been through the grief of my husband and parents’ deaths, but this is the first time I’ve had a significant friend die. I was not prepared for the devastating heartache that accompanied this loss. So much of grief literature focuses on the three prominent deaths: child, spouse, and parent, but I’ve not read…… Continue reading When a Friend Dies

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

Holiday Reflection, 2023

This will be the twelfth Christmas since Mike died and the second without my parents. This is the first Christmas I’m the only living creature in my home since my cat, Bella, died in October. Since December 8th, my holiday grief has kicked into high gear. I have begun to cycle between joy and tears.…… Continue reading Holiday Reflection, 2023

The Memory Keeper

One of the things that makes Mike’s death hard is the lack of people sharing memories about him. The early days were full of shock and extreme grief. Because of the circumstances of his death and an encounter with a former client who made an inappropriate remark, I was cautious with what I shared. My…… Continue reading The Memory Keeper