Grief Digest Articles

The last day I saw my father alive was the day before he died. On a chilly, late autumn day, my father’s dog and I drove to my parents’ home for our “normal” visit. As always, when we exited the highway, Murphy paced in the back seat and barked with his usual anticipatory excitement. My father Jerry loved dogs…as a young boy…as a teenager…as a man. He had Rollo and Dardy, Leo, and Prince, and he always took good care of them. As Jerry got older, so did his dogs, and each one died of old a …

Despite the sympathy, concern, and comfort I received from my husband, Bill, Preston’s three brothers, relatives, and friends to help me grieve Preston’s death, I wanted to be alone. I didn’t want to see anyone outside of my circle because if they asked how I felt or how I was doing I didn't want to have to explain what I was feeling over and over again.I also thought the sooner I ended my life, the sooner I’d be with Preston. However, it meant I’d leave Bill, Brandon, Austin Levi, and fr …

StoicLoss has left an indelible imprint on my life; a reality I have not come to easily. Grief is certainly not a linear process; bereavement takes us on many side routes, eventually arriving at a better place of understanding and healing. During my early years of grief there was a steep learning curve, a reckoning in a way. Often, looking in the rear view mirror is a more comfortable place to process. Sometimes it’s harder to recall how you felt on the day of a monumental event, the death …

The emotional terrain you navigate after losing a loved one can often feel like an uncharted wilderness, fraught with pitfalls of sadness and uncertainty. Yet, even in the bleakest moments, there's a path that can lead you toward renewal, peace, and eventually, a new understanding of life's intricate tapestry. How you walk this path varies from person to person, but certain steps can provide critical waypoints to guide you along the way. In this article, courtesy of Centering, we offer a …

REWIND:I wrote a similar article many years ago, but since the recent death of my husband, I have a new perspective now. I thought I learned so much about grief that I could recite what’s normal about it in my dreams (and sometimes I did.) However, grief has a way of teaching us, molding us, and preparing us for something greater in life than what we have already experienced. So, this is a “rewind and relearn, on my journey through new grief. It includes an enlightening new outlook on fri …