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 Widow's Window
As I looked out the window of our tiny mountain apartment I could see the fog creeping in over the foothills. It looked just like how my soul felt, thick and lingering. Earlier that week I became connected with a part of myself I never knew existed until now. Im talking about the part of yourself that surfaces only after life's unimaginable occurs. Earlier that month the love of my life and the father to my two boys died and I was left to face the rest of our lives alone, or so it felt. Each moment that passed brought more intensity to the excruciating pain my heart was attempting to adapt to. How could this have happened? How could this now be our life? Moreover, how could I survive this life without him? I can tell you this for sure, I never knew how strong I was until that is all I could be. It has now been three years and my soul still yearns for him, my body still craves his touch but my heart has accepted that he is only with us now in spirit.
By Sada Arroz6 years ago in Families
Shattered
It was the day my life turned upside down. I remember the phone ringing early in the morning. It was a Wednesday and I was in the 9th grade. I was planning to get up earlier than usual to get ready for school. I was never a morning person. I would always snooze the alarm multiple times, trying to get an extra 10 or 15 minutes of shut eye. Yet somehow that morning I didn't press snooze on the alarm. I was still in bed, but my eyes were open. I heard a knock on the door.
By F Cummings6 years ago in Families
The Truth About Postpartum Depression: From a New Mom
The "Bad Mom" Stigma "Postpartum Depression," the F-bomb of the mom world until now, also known as P.P.D. Did you know, suicide is the second leading cause of death in Postpartum women? "Suicide," yet another taboo word when talking about depression after birth. Suicidal thoughts and thoughts of self harm are a side effect of depression, and it does not make you a bad mother to admit that you suffer from them. "Bad mom" stigma can be a deterrent for getting help to avoid judgement from uninformed family and peers. I'm here to tell you from experience that seeking help from a medical professional makes you no less a mother than any other mother. Finding treatment allows you to soak up that precious time with the baby without the worry of depression or anxiety.
By Lauren Audelo6 years ago in Families
Abandoned Homes
I can’t be the only person who looks at an abandoned house and wonders what the story behind it is. Did this house once belong to a happy family? Could some tragedy be the cause of the home’s emptiness? The world of possibilities is endless. There has to be more to the home than peeling paint and overgrown lawns. At one time, someone moved into that home with dreams and ambitions. They dreamed of the life they would live in that home. A home in which they would create memories. As they unlocked the doors for the first time, they unlocked all the possibilities. The person who lived there could have been anyone. They could have chosen to live in any house and they chose this one. Why did they leave? Was it their choice or were they forced?
By Veronica O6 years ago in Families
My Mother
I can't ever forget that tragic day. I can't ever forget the sound of the rain, the voices of the people around me, the feeling of the tears running down my face. I can't ever forget he regret I had, the sight of her lifeless body. It's like a nightmare. I wanted to wake up. My whole world changed on that tragic day. The day everything changed. The day I lost my dear beloved mother. If you ask me to explain what happened, I can easily tell you everything.
By Sammy Armstrong6 years ago in Families
She Died of a Broken Heart
Hello reader! I’m going to tell you a story about me losing my grandma and hopefully you can relate. I’m hoping this will help someone on their journey to healing their heart. Losing someone who’s so close to you is very hard, and when you’re continually sad about it, you don’t want to talk about it with anyone because you just feel annoying. When I tell people I’m sad, I never say why because I’ll just sound like a broken record player.
By Rachael Cox6 years ago in Families
Dad... A Daughter's First Love
As I'm sitting here, trying to figure out how to start this off, I'm almost at a loss for words. Not because there's nothing to say about my dear old dad, but because there is so much to say about him, that I don't even know where to start. His name was Roger Whited; he was 57 years old, living his life to the fullest. He was a proud father to three beautiful daughters, an ecstatic grandpa, and an affectionate husband. A loyal friend, a beloved brother, a faithful son, and so much more. On August 15, 2018, this amazing man was taken away from us. The man who in my mind, would've lived until he was nearly 100, left this world so unexpectedly. At this time, I don't want to share the details of what was wrong with my sweet daddy, I just want to reminisce about the good memories for now.
By Kristen Burgess6 years ago in Families
Dear Old Dad
You gave me quite the scare, there. It’s not your fault, I know. I wasn’t expecting it- and that’s the real issue, I guess. Nobody ever is- or maybe they are, but are we ever truly prepared for the bad news? That trembling voice on the other end of the line, that shocking conversation that leaves you speechless? I don’t think we are. I’m certainly not. I remember when you called me and told me grandpa had passed. It made me hate my phone, made me not want to touch it. This was a close second. I now look at it with trepidation.
By Olivia Petras6 years ago in Families
Goodbye Angel
Dear Aunt Janice, I have always loved you, you were always my favorite aunt. You were fun and we had a good time together. I will miss all the times we had together at family events. If not for your cheery face I may not have gone to any events at all. Being around family I barely knew or didn't know at all was always very uncomfortable for my sister and myself. I always had a great time with you. At Christmas time you always made it enjoyable, and I loved your cash present more than something I couldn't use you always knew what I needed. Thank god you never gave me ugly weird sweaters with Santa or kitty cats or dogs that bark. you had better taste than that you gave me money.
By Amanda J Mollett6 years ago in Families