“To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.” -David Viscott My child loves to watch Bluey, a for-all-ages cartoon from Australia about a heeler dog named Bluey and her family (mum, dad, and younger sister, Bingo). One episode, “Sleepytime,” deals with the inevitable challenges of sleeping through the night. AtContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Sunny Love”
Tag Archives: Grief Supporters
Monday Meditation: Quiet Reconnection
“Learn to be quiet enough to hear the genuine within yourself so that you can hear it in others.” -Marian Wright Edelman Learning to sit in quiet is a skill that takes time to develop. The noise outside is loud and often penetrates deep inside us, making it hard to shut off. The noise canContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Quiet Reconnection”
Monday Meditation: Quiet Matters
“When you quiet your mind, you can enter a world of clarity, peace and understanding.” -Alice Coltrane Quiet is more than just the absence of noise. Quiet is a state of being that helps suppress distracting intrusions so that the right sounds can become loud and clear. For grievers, quiet is a golden elephant thatContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Quiet Matters”
Monday Meditation: Give me an “I”
“Improvement begins with I.”-Arnold H. Glasow Grief is overwhelming, and grievers may frequently turn to their grief supporters for help getting through the initial trauma of loss and then healing. Some grief supporters are really great at being there for the griever in their lives, others aren’t as helpful. While being surrounded by amazing supportContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Give me an “I””
Monday Meditation: A Little Flattery Goes a Long Way
“A little flattery will support a man through great fatigue.”-James Monroe When we are the most drained and worn out, a kind word helps us push through. A nicety offers support when a person is too tired to support themselves. A complement can help someone cross the bridge over a deep valley and reach theContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: A Little Flattery Goes a Long Way”
The Privilege of Dying
Breanna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd. Three martyrs were born between February and May, 2020. Their deaths graphically highlighted the system of oppression and weak peace that exists in the United States of America. Their deaths have torched the veil of White American ignorance concerning inequality, police brutality, and institutionalized racism. The resulting protests andContinueContinue reading “The Privilege of Dying”
Grief 101: Does grief follow the same pattern for everyone?
In short, No. More evidence for the “grief is unique” discussion is that grief manifests in various patterns, further confirming that we can’t (and shouldn’t) tell others that we know exactly what they are going through and that we have the perfect solution to “fix” them. George A. Bonanno, Professor of Clinical Psychology at ColumbiaContinueContinue reading “Grief 101: Does grief follow the same pattern for everyone?”
Grief 101: How Long Does Grief Last?
Answer: As long as it needs.
Monday Meditation: Kindness Heals
The words of kindness are more healing to a drooping heart than balm or honey. -Sarah Fielding “I am sorry you have to go through this.” “I love you.” “I am here to listen.” “You are so courageous.” Kindness goes a long way in the grief process. For Grief Supporters, kindness can mean the differenceContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Kindness Heals”
GRIEF 101: Is Grief the Same for Everyone?
In short: NO. Grief is not the same for everyone who goes through it. Grief is unique to every Griever. There is no predictable pattern that grief follows from person to person. Each Grievers’ loss is different because each person going through loss is different: they have different relationships with the people they lose, theyContinueContinue reading “GRIEF 101: Is Grief the Same for Everyone?”
The Right to Fall Apart
“I am worried about her,” my aunt said from behind me. “She cried at the hospital when Eileen died. She wouldn’t let her go.” I sat on the kneeler next to my mother’s casket before and after her wake rather than sitting in a chair across the room from her. I wanted to sit nextContinueContinue reading “The Right to Fall Apart”
GRIEF 101: What is Grief?
In the wake of a death we use the term “grief” to describe what we and/or others are going through. The word “grief” seems to be an umbrella term that covers a variety of things happening with those closest to the person who has died. (Grief also extends to a variety of other life situationsContinueContinue reading “GRIEF 101: What is Grief?”
New Year, New Blog
I have been away for a while. My last post from three years ago probably gives you a clue as to why. My mother died on March 5, 2015. When my mother died in 2015, I was an underemployed, adjunct professor living with my parents in Richmond, VA commuting to Washington DC. Now, in 2018,ContinueContinue reading “New Year, New Blog”