By Dr. Joanna Cacciatore I am a mother. I am a bereaved mother. My child died, and this is my reluctant path. It is not a path of my choice, but it is a path I must walk mindfully and with intention. It is a journey through the darkest night of my soul and it will take time to wind through the places that scare me. Every cell in my […]
I’m leaving you here. For one night I want to forget. And maybe smile. Grief: You can’t leave me behind. I’m tired. You are heavy. Sometimes you are just too much to bear. Grief: I am a part of you now. I can shut the door. Forget you for a few hours. Grief: That is not how this works. I will always catch up to you. Why are you doing […]
As we enter July, we observe a particularly poignant time – Bereaved Parents Month. This is a time for us to honor, remember, and acknowledge the winding journey that grieving parents undergo. This month, I want to particularly remember a bright spirit named Esther. Although she was only with us physically for four short years, her presence in our lives endures. A child’s death, in the natural order of life, […]
Losing a loved one is one of the most painful experiences that we can go through. The grief that follows can be overwhelming, leaving us feeling lost and alone. In this article, we will explore some ways to find comfort from grief for the loss of a loved one. 1. Connect with others who have experienced loss One of the most helpful things you can do is to connect with […]
by Tom Zuba Yesterday I received this question: “Tom – I am having a lot of trouble even saying I believe I can heal, because I don’t understand what it means to heal from grief.” I don’t believe healing is a destination. I don’t believe I’ll wake up one day and say, “Done with that. I’m all healed now.” Rather, for me, I believe healing now becomes my way of […]
The many faces of Grief according to the members of Esther’s Rainbow Spiritual Community : “Locking your keys in the house or car for the millionth time.” “Explaining to your living children that mommy sometimes kisses inanimate objects, because they remind her of their brother, who she misses so much.” “Forgetting to return phone calls.” “Wanting to reach out, but not knowing what to say, and not wanting to be a burden.” […]
I experienced extreme sadness and devastation when I lost my father, on Valentine’s Day, at the age of 30. He was 52 and it seemed like the most catastrophic event of my life. I believed nothing could hurt more than losing my hero. I was wrong. 14 years later I found myself standing in front of the mirror, looking at myself thinking “this is what a grieving mother looks like”. […]
The last time I saw a full rainbow over the South African sky was on 19th of April 2018, about 5 minutes before my life was shattered. It was the rainbow BEFORE the storm. Standing outside my ex-husband’s house, trying to comprehend that my 19 year old son, Jordan was in there – but at the same time he wasn’t. He’s was gone. All that was left of him, was […]
by Elise Kowalski Truth…time alone does not heal. If anything, time in the beginning just made me feel worse and worse as I was getting farther and farther away from the time when Luke was still physically here. Time was my enemy and I prayed every night to have the clock turned back and to wake up before the day of Luke’s accident and almost instant passing. Slowly I came […]
