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.
The death of a spouse is different than others
There is something that sets the death of a spouse apart from all others you love who die and that is intimacy. There is a level of connecting that you don’t have with children, siblings, or other relatives. You sleep in the bed with your husband or wife for years or decades and make love with them. Side by side, skin to skin you lay each night. Your significant other knows places on your body that no one else will ever be aware of. You might shower or bathe with your spouse and do other intimate things that are not part of your relationship with other people.
By Cheryl E Preston6 years ago in Families
The Eye of the Cardinal
Through the eye, we discover the connection between the physical and spiritual realm. Any new venture or work we take on brings us new experiences, insights, and understanding of ourselves and the world around us. In order to achieve what many think is impossible, we must be willing to step into the unknown and embrace the mystery. By letting go while stepping into the blindness of night, we discover a new light that reveals a power within which guides the self into the magnificent wonders of the universe, mother nature, the divine, and the all seeing eye of God!
By Bobby Bushnell6 years ago in Families
Buck's Row
Buck’s Row. I hate this street, my mother brings me here often, I’m not sure why, she always says “This is where mummy works, darling.” She never tells me what she does, only that she keeps people happy. She leaves me round the corner, out of sight, there’s a row of arched windows and I sit in the third closest to mummy. “Stay here, Georgiana, don’t move a muscle, mummy will be back by the by.” She says, tucking a blanket tightly around my shoulders. The arches provide a bit of privacy from passers-by while I lie there till morning. Sometimes I come in close neighborhood with frightening drunken men but mummy never leaves me without a whistle to call her with and she always comes to my rescue. “Why can’t I stay with Mr. Thomas, mummy?” I asked, pulling on her bonnet strings. Mummy had just gotten a new bonnet, it was dark colored with velvet round the edges, I thought it was awfully handsome. “Mr. Thomas can’t look after you, when he’s sleeping, now can he?” She kissed my forehead and turned round the corner. Mr. Thomas is mummy’s friend, we live in his flat, his hands are always black from smithing in his shop below and he turns my yellow curls black when he ruffles ‘em, Mummy says I look like a ragamuffin, I take that as a bit of an affront. Mummy says he isn’t my Papa, I don’t remember much of me real Papa, the only memory I have of him is when I was a little one, three years ago, only 5 years. He and Mummy were awfully vexed with each other, Mummy accused him of something terrible and he struck her across the cheek. She woke me that night and told me not to make a sound, she walked a long time with me wrapped around her waist, tucked inside her overcoat, it was nearly morning when we made it to Mr. Thomas’s shop, he had been kind to her and she felt safe with him. We haven’t left since.
By Hanna Pope6 years ago in Families
Cheyne-Stokes Respirations
He fell on July 19th, 2019 while walking the damn dog. After people in the 70’s fall and break a hip, their life expectancy is typically three-to-six months. However, the end did not begin with the fall. His gasping for life began years ago, perhaps even before I was born. Smoking didn’t help but innate self-uncertainty, insecurity, unfulfillment fueled the breaths of discontent.
By chris miskec-rhymes-with-whiskey6 years ago in Families
The emotions connected to grieving a spouse
As I write this my husband has been dead one week and we had his service yesterday, My emotions are all over the place and I’m going with them. Up down and all around this has been a rollercoaster ride and I want off. At times I’m in shock and want to scream because my life partner of 45 years is gone. I only spent the first 17 years of my life without my late husband and that’s a lot to reflect upon.
By Cheryl E Preston6 years ago in Families
I love my wife
Romance Sacrifice. Martin Phillips the perfect example of a man’s man, caught up in something he was frightened of. He was only thirty seven, he had so many other plans. He would like to think that people saw him as a loyal honest man, he certainly tried. Oh, sure he did the big tough job as a builder, he spent four nights a week in the gym, and loved his Saturday night pint. But underneath the exterior there was a family man who loved his wife dearly.
By Nigel Dougill6 years ago in Families
The Matrix is real! Sort of.
Be Careful what you want to know. What few people truly know is this. The Matrix is real. Ok, maybe not like in the movies. We don’t have the choice to take the Blue pill or the Red pill. Obviously we also don't have cool ships, telephone escape locations, super abilities or oracles with magic cookies. Well, that last one is more readily available in some places! And of course we don’t have Keanu Reeves and no way to loan Sam Jackson our sleeves. But, in order to become one of the very elite few who know this information you will have to be in a situation that NO ONE wants to be in no matter how secret or elite. In fact, this is rare knowledge that absolutely no one who finds out actually wants to know but can never go back once they have it thrust upon them. There are no Red or Blue pills to choose from. This information is part of a body of knowledge that is rare even in its own uniqueness. Only the elite chosen can know, but once they do, there is not one person who doesn't wish with every single ounce of their being that they never had to know. Or, who doesn't spend the rest of their lives wishing they could go back and unlearn it. Most of the time you never even know or think about this club of people who are now "In the know" at all. That is, if you are one of the lucky ones. One of the ones who are allowed to be in the dark about it. Who never, ever have to experience either the membership or, and this is key, the absolutely horrifying and life altering Initiation situations that are required to even know about it much less to join. But, here I am, Come what may. And for your sake, and indeed for my own, I will speak. And Blessed be the damned consequences of my actions.
By Johanna de Boer6 years ago in Families
A Definition of a Role Model: Jacqueline Dickens
What makes a role model, an individual whose amazing spirit brings joy to those around them, and bring thats same spirit to their work with the best intentions for those around them. For me, that individual is Jacqueline Dickens, who is a founding figure of A New Leaf, a homeless residence located in Mesa, Arizona.
By Michael Nowotny6 years ago in Families
The Alchemist's Practice Chapter 3
Her eyes always captivated him. As blue as the sky, even in the dimmest light, but only on the surface. It only happened on rainy days or rarely when the clouds were just right, but Wynn's eyes were a fierce smokey grey. Not many seemed to notice, or if they did, none had mentioned it when they were young.
By Jeremy McLean6 years ago in Families
