Your Grief

Grief From Darkness to Light

dark to light

Grief impacts all of us in different ways. But, one of the best ways to visualize it is to see grief and the movement through grief to healing is going from darkness into light. With the dark, foreboding feeling that COVID-19 has caused everyone, including those already dealing with grief, it is important to talk about how we can deal with this sense of loss and be open to hope again. On our Facebook Live discussion today, Heidi and I were joined by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, the founder of the MISS Foundation and the Selah Carefarm. She is a professor at Arizona […]

Bereavement, Death of a Child

Years After Daughter’s Death, an Extraordinary Day

I have been to our university’s graduation parties several times since my daughter passed away, but they were never held in the same hall that her high school graduation had taken place at. I did not step in that building since her graduation eight years ago. I woke up apprehensive of what was awaiting me this morning. Everyone at home knew that I was uncomfortable. My son tried to reassure me that I would be all right as I kissed him on my way out with the gown in my hands. My daughter gave me a hug. Despite my feelings, […]

Death of a Child

The Fear of Forgetting

Since my daughter died just after turning four years old, one of my biggest fears has been that she will be forgotten. But lately, I’ve been asking myself: What does that really mean? What am I really scared of? The idea that she will be forgotten is actually two separate fears. The first is that due to the notion of “out of sight, out of mind,” friends and even family will stop thinking of her and, in essence, “forget her”. In reality, this is the natural course of life. I have beloved relatives and dear friends who have passed, and […]

Death of a Child

Loss of a Child is the Hardest Goodbye

I had always dreaded goodbyes, feared separating from my family all my life and was destined to face the hardest separation of all. Since the day I started going to boarding school, my only fear in life was separation as I went to boarding school at the age of six. At my first boarding school, I had my older sisters with me and two years later my younger brother joined the boys’ school and I was able to see him during school days as the young boys came daily to our school until grade 3. I remember that I spent […]