grief

Losing a family member is one of the most traumatic life events; Families must support one another to endure the five stages of grief and get through it together.

TO SLEEP IN SAFETY
TO SLEEP IN SAFETY… ...it seemed that I’d forgotten what that felt like. It all started in April of 1944, I was 30 years old and had only known the peace and struggle of farm life in Arkansas. My family was not financially rich, but wealthy in love for each other. I had 3 brothers and 2 sisters. I married in 1937, a local girl that I had been sweet on finally accepted my proposal. For 5 years we were happy, until a fever set in upon my bride. I lost her in 1942. Heartbroken and lonely, I somehow made it through long workdays and dreams of her at night.
By David Jeffers5 years ago in Families
Cemetery
A light haze of morning fog covers the tops of graves. There are children’s voices and laughter – kids came to the cemetery to collect sweets from gravestones. It is so adventurous to have such an unusual breakfast. The cemetery is located on the hill near the forest: some graves are hidden between trees. They frighten those who accidently run into them, while collecting mushrooms. Folks in the village believe everything that is growing on the cemetery is poisonous because of the taste of dead people. But kids don’t care – they collect wild berries and apples to have better breakfast with sweets from the gravestones.
By Nina Ros5 years ago in Families
My Dead Husband Mooned Me
April 20th marked five years since my husband Patrick left for his early morning bike ride and never returned home. I try to write something each year to talk about my changes in perspective. This year I am adding some random thoughts and memories.
By Danell Boyles TeNyenhuis Black5 years ago in Families
Your Favourite Song
It’s been twenty days now, twenty days of hell and three days of seeing you in my dreams. The last time I saw you, in reality, was twenty-six days ago. The last time I saw you in my dreams was a few hours ago.
By Gerald Holmes5 years ago in Families
Talking with Dad
Sitting on a dried out log in the middle of a nearly empty beach on Hawai'i. Keanu looks out across the ocean to the setting sun. He lets out a deep sigh.
By Zachary Lencioni5 years ago in Families
“The Sweetest Bouquet of a Little Blackbird”
Sammy ran her fingers across the spines of the small collection of her mother’s favorite books that had been tucked away on her preferred shelf. Her fingers danced across their titles like fingers on a piano and out of her lips poured a sort of song. “Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, 1,000 Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Gelles, The Food Almanac by Miranda York,” her voice trailed. The last one was new. She wondered to herself when her mother had added it. Peeling it off the shelf she fingered lightly through its pages. One of the corners of one of the pages had a crease in it. Sammy read the heading aloud, “Quince.” She repeated it to herself and pondered it before continuing, “A much mistaken fruit”.
By Autumn Rain5 years ago in Families
The Listless Lovers
Cool and damp, scent of mold in the air Not a place to meet your lover Not a place to fall in love or Get lost in another’s stare
By James Smith5 years ago in Families
Athletech
This bag has lived a long full life. Its forest green nylon webbing straps are still as sturdy as the day it was purchased. The black plastic body is discolored and slightly stiff from endless use for the last twenty years, but not a single hole can be found. The zippers all do their job, albeit very loudly, and the mesh of the front pocket is only minimally frayed in the front right corner. This bag has more than done the job it was purchased for. It had been my school bag somewhere around 6th grade. When I abandoned it the next year for something more middle school, my father adopted it, adding two bands of bright red duct tape to the handles for better visibility in airports. It had remained his travel bag until this last October when I took it back in. So here I sit, months after his passing, franticly searching the pockets of this bag for what? I don’t really know. Any extra scrap of the father I lost that may be hiding in a side pocket. Something I missed the last time I went through the same routine. The most unexpected things will knock the breath from your lungs. There are times when the pain is a sadness that sits in your soul, content to keep to its established living quarters. You can go about your business and you know it’s there, but it’s not crippling you. And then something will rip you wide open and nothing can be done but to feel the pain. This 20-year-old Athletech gym bag is that something today.
By Randi Jo5 years ago in Families
Loss of a child
[Thump Thump] “Soon as I hear it.” [thump thump] “Your heart beat for the very first time.” [thump thump] “I knew I would love you forever.”
By Justis Thomas5 years ago in Families
Loss of a Mother
I think that when a woman loses her mother, in many ways she loses a part of herself. Regardless of their relationship, good or bad, our mother is the most determining factor that we use to weigh our own feminine forces against. Our identity is so often tied directly to our mother’s identity. Unlike sons who are expected to be autonomous, daughters intrinsically seem to know that they will continue the cycle of identity that expects daughters to be like their mothers. Universally women look to their mothers for approval on how to be a woman.
By Kiki5 years ago in Families
A Young Life Taken
It has been years since the young life of Travis Williams was taken. This tragic death did not have to happen. The people around him that loved and supported him did not need to lose such a sweet young friend. His family did not have to lose a cousin, a grandson, a son, or a brother. However, the life that he chose made it impossible to live the life that others thought he could live. Still in high school when he was gunned down at a drug deal gone wrong.
By amanda j mollett5 years ago in Families
WILL I EVER SEE MY DAUGHTERS?
Experiences in flight are always galore and always very unique in nature. Stories of human tragedies need not be physical. It can also be psychological and hence the trauma in such cases stays much longer and troubles the heart endlessly.
By AMLAN ROYCHOWDHURY5 years ago in Families