What do you do when what makes sense doesn’t make sense? Just two days — 48 hours — after my dad died in March 2020, I received a telephone call from my acting supervisor asking when I might return to work. I knew at that very moment that I’d quit my corporate job. With absolutely no disrespect directed towards […]
Remaining anchored amid life’s winds is fundamental to enduring this thing called ‘life.’ It’s a paraphrase of a saying my dad sometimes shared with me as an adult, especially in moments when I felt emotionally deflated and spiritually discouraged. Like the time I mentally prepared for a job I didn’t receive. Or when I struggled […]
Time alone isn’t the answer … when it comes to grieving, at least. This fact is countercultural in many ways. Let me explain. All too often in the face of loss, other well meaning supporters make the statement, “You’ll feel better in time” or “Time heals all wounds.” On the surface, this makes sense, particularly […]
As a person who’s grieving, you’ve likely heard others express how important it is to be patient with yourself in grief. Sounds great, right? But have you ever thought about why it’s so hard to exercise self-compassion, including patience with yourself, as you grieve? Well, I have. Here, I’ll share a couple of insights I’ve […]
When health calls, you answer. My phone rang – again, mind you – in March 2020, shortly after my dad died. The suddenness of his death, coupled with my ongoing grappling with my mom‘s death just 7 1/2 years prior, shook me to the core. In contrast to my attempts to avoid grief altogether when […]
Can you ever cling too tightly …. to friends and family after you’ve experienced loss of a loved one via death? Short answer, no … and yes. Let me start with the ‘no.’ After experiencing the loss of a loved one via death, it’s not uncommon to cling more tightly to those around you. As […]
“Music makes the heart bleed.” 🎼 This is something my dad used to say. And he didn’t mean it in a negative way. Rather, he recognized the inherent beauty of music and its ability to unlock the heart’s channels. Boy does it! Music has a way of unearthing memories tucked deeply in our hearts and […]
I don’t think I realized just how over-exposed I was to death and dying until late fall 2021. Up to that point, I plugged along in my practice and worked to grow my business. I practiced daily rituals to navigate the losses of both of my parents. And I regularly sought wise counsel to increase my […]
Over nine years into my grief journey following my mom’s death and just shy of two years following my dad’s death, I’ve discovered the value inherent in leading yourself through rituals. What are rituals? Merriam-Webster defines a ritual as follows: “an act or series of acts regularly repeated in a set precise manner.” A grief […]
How do you respond when every item stares back at you? The morning my mom died, my brother and I stood in her living room in shock and disbelief. Just two hours prior, in the wee hours of the morning, my mom peacefully passed away in her bed alongside me and my brother. It was […]
