Grief Digest Articles

Finding Your PurposeWhat do people do when they can’t sleep?I don’t have that answer, but I do know that diversions can help. Recently, Gary and I decided to break the string of my sleepless nights with a diversion. At about 12:30—1:00 a.m., we drove to a remote spot to observe the star showers that the meteorologist was talking about on the news. (Specifically, Perseid meteor shower- August 2021) Sitting in the dark, peaceful quietness of the universe and focusing on something so much bigg …

I opened my laptop to write one of those difficult emails to myself. And poured a glass of wine.Dear Grief,Please don’t sit with me anymore. You’ve pushed and shoved me until I feel only rage. You’ve crept into every cell and made them weep and quiver with pain, yet no tears will flow from my eyes.You’ve made me forgetful and frustrated. I can barely think clearly enough to drive. Who is this person I have become with you stalking me? Stop tormenting me! Stop trying to make me cry. Crying is n …

People love to hear our stories. It’s part of our innate curiosity. It reveals who we are, and where we came from. It is a record of how we got to where we are right now. Stories are repeated and may be passed down from one generation to another. When an uncle died, whom I didn’t see in nearly 30 years, I found myself making excuses to dismiss my obligation to go to the funeral. I reasoned that I wouldn’t recognize any of the relatives anymore, nor would they recognize me!Eventually, I decided t …

In 1963 it was the assassination of a president. In 1986 it was the explosion of the Space Shuttle witnessed by millions of children on TV. September 11, 2001 was the terrorist attack. By 2022, Covid-19 had killed more than a million Americans and millions of others throughout the world. In 2022 war broke out in Eastern Europe. Each of these shocking events thrust our children into the face of death in a sudden and graphic way. As much as you can for a moment, I want you to imagine that you are …

Management and Coping Techniques When You Have a Chronic ConditionHave you recently been diagnosed with a chronic illness that is causing you physical discomfort or even pain? If so, you are probably eager to find some safe pain management techniques that work. Dealing with a chronic condition can be a burden in other ways besides physical pain, too: it is stressful not knowing when you may have a flare-up, and frustrating when others around you don’t recognize the seriousness of what you are en …