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.
An Introspective
About a year ago, in January, I was sat on a train destined for London’s Denmark Hill. There is a hospital there. It is not far from the station and hugely imposing, with corridors so expansive one could easily become lost (and I regularly would). It had been a wonderful Christmas; wonderful, blissful happiness accompanied by a wonderfully blissful sense of ignorance and, I suppose, a youthful hope. In truth, I did not even know that anything could (or indeed would) be wrong. I met my parents at the hospital and, later that day, after confused faces blurred into one tear-marred mirage, a doctor finally decided to admit my mother into the hospital indefinitely. Then, my dad and I drove home, stopping at a restaurant to eat. It was a Saturday night and it was busy and loud, with people simply being wonderfully and blissfully happy. It was an overwhelming typical Saturday night.
By Caragh Taylor6 years ago in Families
My Testimony
My name is Lyndy. I am eighteen years old and I love Jesus. Who would have ever known I’d write this in a sentence. If you would have asked me a year ago, I would have told you I came from a place of despair. When I was a little girl, I spent a good amount of time with my grandmother. Every night, she would say a prayer and we would say what we were thankful for together. I was too young to know what or why I was doing what I was, but I did it anyways. Besides going to church on Easter day occasionally, that was the only time I could remember being devoted to God in any type of way. When I was nine, my uncle passed away. That was the lowest point in my life. Going through grief is so much harder when you have to watch everyone in your family go through it for years, too. Flash forward to my freshman year of high school, where I was friends with the “popular girls.” You know when you want to be friends with certain people and you don’t have anything in common, but you try anyway? That was what I did, and I did not feel comfortable or happy or loved. Flash forward to junior year when I was in a toxic relationship for a year and felt unworthy. Flash forward to when my great grandmother started getting sick. Many restless hospital visits, broken hearts, and many tears later, to the night I came into touch with Him. It was the beginning of January and my great grandmother’s health was slowly declining. She was in the hospital and I knew my grammy was a mess so I went to see her. I will never forget the hopelessness and tears that filled and consumed her. We talked for a while and the last thing she said to me was, “I guess the only thing we can do is just pray.” Something about that sparked my memory and I was reminded of my time with her as a child. I went home that night, crying. There was so much loss in my life that I would break down every time something bad would happen. I thought about what my grammy had said, “Just pray.” I had never prayed in my life but I went into my bedroom, got down on my knees, heavy. I was crying and I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I went with it.
By Lyndy Ehrenzeller6 years ago in Families
I Miss You
I’ll always be that little girl you held in your arms when I couldn’t even open my eyes. I’ll always be that girl that came crying to you after my first breakup and you cocked your shotgun. Your time has already come, and I don't know why the last time we saw you, you were doing just fine. It seems like just yesterday we were laughing with you. When I look up to the stars, I remember how special you are and how much I miss you.
By josh napper6 years ago in Families
To My Father
To My Father, I am currently writing this in my bed thinking about how to make everything better. I have done everything I can possibly think of doing. I have tried to help you, to help me, and to help everyone else in this situation. I really believe I have hit a point in my life which I can no longer take anymore. I meant every word I said in the car the other night. You probably do not remember our conversation. I am so upset with you and your actions that I simply do not feel anything at all. Mom has done everything for Brody, Ally, and I. Everyone has tried their best to shield Brody from what is really going on. One day eventually he will find out or even figure it out on his own. I understand you are an alcoholic. But you have not been there for me as much as Mom, Ally, and even my grandparents have been. You can't take back what we never had. I can be manipulated only so many times before even "I Love You" starts to lose meaning. Don't you remember that I'm your baby girl? You lied to your flesh and your blood. I dream of another you, the one who would never think about doing what you have done. I have always wished you the best. I prayed for your peace. Even if you started this, this whole war in me, maybe someday when I look back I'll be able to say you didn't mean to be this way. I used to think I was so lucky. That I had the best parents in the whole wide world. Then I found out everything. I would do anything it takes to protect mom and everyone else in this situation. Put yourself in my position. What if your dad was the problem, was the alcoholic. What if he made your mom cry all the time? Made your older sister breakdown at her boyfriend’s house? What if your father is one of the reasons you take anti-depressants? Just all that is what I have to go through on a daily basis. There is so much more that I don't even want to talk about because I know telling you all my troubles will not fix any of yours. This letter is going to be the last thing I “say” to you for a while. I do not want to speak with you. All of your words fall flat. When I have a daughter, she will never have to wonder her worth because, unlike you, I’m going to put her first. Any man can be a father, but not everyone can be a dad.
By Kennedy Hale6 years ago in Families
Loss. Top Story - February 2018.
My grandmother was the center of my family. She was like my second mother. She always seem to know the answer to any question that Alex Trebec throw out. She chain smoked while doing the cross word, and almost always drinking coffee. I spent summers, winters, and time after school, with her. She was a legend in my mind. I thought that she would never leave us. That somehow, she was going to out last us all.
By Kasey Renee6 years ago in Families
How I Coped With Having a Miscarriage
Many women dream as a kid about having the perfect wedding and having children of their own. To be just like their moms. I always wondered if I would have children or if I even wanted children. After meeting my husband and marrying him, I knew he is the only one that I could ever want kids with. He was the one that had me dreaming about being a mom. I knew I would never be as amazing as my mom is but I could try. After two and a half years of marriage, I found out I was finally going to have the chance to be like my mom. To be a mom meant the world to me. I was excited and scared. There was a life inside me and I hadn't the first clue as to what to do. I told Roger, my husband, and that same smile I fell in love with was bigger than ever. There was a light in our eyes and we couldn't wait to share with our families. But what we eventually shared with our families was anything but happiness. The smiles faded and that light in our eyes burnt out.
By Taylor Searcy Holland6 years ago in Families