Have you ever written and email to someone, done something for someone, or had a future date for something that did not meet your expectation? The word in and of itself imparts the future. Something that none of us know. Sure, you may expect dinner in the evening, or that the water comes out when you turn on the faucet, that is not what this article is about. Many times, if a client of mine is struggling [...]
This Essay won an award for teaching people about death and dying from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Teri was 44 and I was 38 during her hospice care. I saw Terri every Thursday for about a year. Upon arriving to her house her bed was in the living room. It was a little house, and when I arrived Terri was quiet and seemed like she just needed a girlfriend. She was checking me out, [...]
The title of this article is seriously a relentless work in progress for many of us at this time. The other day while talking to my sweetheart about what we are seeing in the world at this time, there are a “few” things to ponder. We discussed what if today was our last day? What can we do to make this world a better place? Suffering is everywhere. Seriously, if you stop to ponder the events over the last [...]
Storm Before the Calm There are 2 ways to look at the world right now. It’s a choice. You can fight, judge, predict, complain, panic or you can do a dance, clap your hands and say wow change is about! In order to bring change to anything especially big change you will see chaos almost always first. That’s why this article is titled the way it is. Myself, I think there is BIGGER change taking place on [...]
I have learned so much since my own grandparents have died some 40 years ago. I would like to share with you some of the insights about what this generation goes through when they start moving towards the end of life. As a much younger person even though I am very close to being a senior myself, 60 is the new 40…Some thoughts are creeping in more than I’d like of what this will be like for [...]
I have been thinking a lot about suffering, how much we suffer in a lifetime. There seems to be no way of escaping it. The short version for this? We are human and it is part of our experience here. Looking back on my life and observing others’ lives, we suffer from the time we are born. The mother suffering during childbirth, the baby suffers as well, (although quickly forgotten for both). Birth has a happy ending [...]
When our loved ones leave us sometimes we will have profound dreams of them. Those dreams can be alarming or bring peace. In the early stages of grief, we want to know did they make it safely to heaven? After all it is a journey. Are you looking for signs from your loved ones? I know I did. I had so many dreams about my mom in the beginning. It will be 9 years and [...]
I personally have interviewed many people who have had a near death experiences or NDE, and have read numerous books on the subject. I truly love their stories. I wanted to write about the most important messages that they share about love, and it may not be what you think. In my involvement with people who have had a near death experience they died a traumatic death; car crashes, lightning strikes and drowning. What is fascinating to [...]
Our hearts continue beating no matter the sadness and visceral pain we experience when a love one dies. What else can our breathing do? Let me invite you to the space of the breath and only the breath. I know what you’re thinking, people say to you just breathe, take a deep breath and in the depths of grief even this sounds like it is no help at all. Yet, if we break it down and think [...]
Yes. It really is that simple. I am an animal lover and I have been around many grieving animals. I know you have seen the pictures of dogs laying by their masters grave. Just the other day while playing golf, I witnessed a baby bird that was laying in the grass and not doing well. The mama and a bunch of other birds were all trying to protect the baby bird that was near death. The most [...]
Written for opentohope.com I pick Acceptance. It makes me cringe if I am in a conversation with someone who is grieving or missing a loved one in any way shape or form and I hear the words, it’s time to let go or you need to let go. I am sure their intentions come from a loving place. There is a time to let go of some things in our lives and grief is not one of [...]