Tag: coping with grief

Authentic Self

When I was younger, I spent a lot of time worrying about what other people thought of me and trying to please everybody. Grief has changed what is essential in my life, especially the older I get. What is left behind is my raw, authentic self. The year 2022 was painful, as I had to…… Continue reading Authentic Self

Christmas Reflections

The sun streams through the windows this Christmas morning as the tears flow down my cheeks. Photos of people celebrating with their families, opening presents, and feeling joyful. This year I feel haunted by the Christmas past and longing for those I love. The reality is that life is continuously changing. The Christmases of my…… Continue reading Christmas Reflections

Traditions and Grief

My love language is food. I love to bake, but mostly I love to share what I make. So Christmastime is a special time for me to bake cookies that only come out once a year, ones my family has always enjoyed and looked forward to eating. This year, however, I don’t have the desire…… Continue reading Traditions and Grief

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

Holiday Memories

I haven’t been to my family home in Syracuse for the holidays in over twenty years because I live in Arizona, and my parents lived in New York. However, this year is different because this is the first Thanksgiving since they died. As the day creeps nearer, so do the overwhelming emotions I have kept…… Continue reading Holiday Memories

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

This New Life

Grief has left me feeling lonely and adrift in the world. I am searching for the person I will be in this new phase of my life. With my parents’ death six months apart this year, I feel like I was hit with a one-two punch. I had barely lifted myself off the mat after…… Continue reading This New Life

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