Grief Digest Articles

My daughter Randi’s life and the suicidal hell that led to her death are carved into my bones as if into marble. At thirteen, her jaw had been shattered by a horse and irreparably damaged. There were many jaw surgeries and she learned to live with chronic pain. She struggled with life, yet managed to become an ob-gyn.At age forty-six, after her first mild suicide attempt, she spent three days in a psychiatric facility, where we were allowed one daily visit in a well-guarded, group room. My knees …

By Cheryl NewbanksAfter my son passed away, I did nothing but lay on the couch, lay in my bed, sit and stare, try to absorb the shock, and try to make life, make sense again. I didn’t feel like doing anything, as everything took so much effort and I had zero enthusiasm to try. What I found, as time went by, was that living this way was really more difficult and a heavier load then trying to do something. The most difficult thing to face, was that getting better wasn’t going to be easy either, ev …

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 …