Rosie walked into the house carrying her famous apple pie. Everyone was happy to see her — and the pie — but also cautious. Rosie’s husband, Simon, died two years ago, and holiday family gatherings have never been the same. No one is sure what to say. They do not want to make Rosie cry by mentioning Simon. Rosie does… Read More
We sit at the kitchen table, brushing off the chill of a winter evening. Gloria puts down her coffee mug and reaches for a picture of her children. Through tears, she tells me about her oldest son’s life, and quietly laughs when describing his antics. He died three years ago, and she obviously misses him. After reflecting on her grief… Read More
When bad things happen in our lives or when we hear of tragedies in the news, it can be hard to know how to talk with our children about the events. Personal trauma, natural disasters, wars, and shootings are all stressful for families. Although every child’s needs are different, here are some thoughts to help you plan your time with… Read More
When Christina was a teenager, her mother and several younger siblings died in a car accident. During the first week after her mom died, Christina and her remaining siblings would go through their mom’s closet and smell the familiar perfume on her clothes. Christina recalled, “She was a nurse and worked evenings so she had a robe that she always… Read More
Do you tell others to find closure? Or do you think something is wrong with you because there seems to be no closure after a loss? Stop worrying about closure. We don’t need closure to heal. Closure continues to be a popular concept in our culture. However, it is just a word we’ve made up to talk about loss. Sadly,… Read More
Preface: This was a difficult story to write. I suspect it may be a hard one to read, too. Though it is about a specific case I recently experienced, my hope is that it will help us all think about how we can lend a hand to others. Turning off the highway on the wrong exit, we pass through an… Read More
Remembering Don Schweingruber on his birthday. In a thousand different ways, I learn how you died. When I see a perfect gift for you and know I’ll never watch you open another present. When I am in the grocery store remembering our shopping trips and knowing we will never cook together again. It takes time for our multiple levels of… Read More
Daniel greatly admired his wife. He described her as a wonderful role model for people. She modeled how to live life and how to face death. Daniel said his wife wanted to capture life and keep living even as she faced cancer. After several years of living with cancer and enduring many medical procedures, they discovered her treatment options were… Read More
