Grief Digest Articles

Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness.It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift. ~Mary Oliver Winter Solstice.The longest night of the year.Grief can feel like the longest night of the year many times over.When the proverbial rug is pulled out from underneath our lives we end up falling into a deep, dark hole. Some call this the dark night of the soul. The only thing we know about this dark place is that we want out and we will do whatever we can to escape. W …

“A Cardinal is a representative of a loved one who has passed. When you see one, it means they are visiting you. They usually show up when you most need them or miss them. They also make an appearance during times of celebration as well as despair to let you know they will always be with you. Look for them, they’ll appear.”Author Unknown~ INTRODUCTION ~My life-changing encounters—death no longer separates us—there is a hereafter. My story reveals how my red winged visitors—along with a miraculou …

15 Things You Need to KnowDonna stood outside in the parking lot, in the dark, trying to talk herself into entering the building. Once in the door, the next step would be to take the stairway to the conference room. The thought of it caused her palms to sweat and her heart pound. Then what? She would need to enter the room to meet a room-full of strangers who were likely grieving just like her. “What did I get myself into?” she questioned. “Will I have to speak? What will people think about me …

From Tears of Mourning to Smiles of RemembranceBy Annette BridgesThe older my precious Lady got, I prayed she would pass peacefully in her sleep. I never wanted to face the decision to help her cross her rainbow bridge. In fact, I emphatically told my husband to never ask me to make that call.Lady was approaching her seventeenth birthday. Although her life had already been a long one for a miniature dachshund, her life had been filled with physical struggles. She was only one year old when she h …

Overcoming the Stigma of Suicide Accepting the Pain of GrievingIn June of 1989, my eldest brother, Dale, took his own life. He lived on the coast of North Carolina at the time. When my family in Wisconsin was notified of his death, my brother David immediately said, "Let's tell people Dale died in an accident." Such was the inherent shame of suicide.Although we did acknowledge my brother's death as the reality that it was--a suicide--the fact remains that because of the stigma and embarrassme …