grief
Losing a family member is one of the most traumatic life events; Families must support one another to endure the five stages of grief and get through it together.
When you don't feel enough
"Mother's Day! Oh, we need to organise what to do for Mother's Day!" My sisters-in-law gathered excitedly around their mother, giggling like teenagers instead of the thirty-somethings they were. They began to discuss options whilst I carried on showing my husband's niece photos of my cat on my phone, whom she adored.
By Kristie Lawrence5 years ago in Families
Memories Are Sometimes Louder
There's something about death that's so uncomfortable, and truthfully I almost didn't even write this article because of this. People expect that when someone close to you dies, you're immediately expected to move on. No questions asked, but truthfully you go from outwardly grieving to silently internalizing- and that's the part truthfully that isn't talked about. Silently coping with how to pick up the pieces, and it seems like you are alone.
By Kayla Lindley5 years ago in Families
Mothers, Brothers and Others Left Behind
Obviously the loss of a loved one is earth-shattering for just about anyone. Losing a loved one unexpectedly is mind numbing. Losing a teenage child to suicide is completely debilitating… for a time. I must confess, I had already considered the awful thought. I used to rock them to sleep at night and sang to them (all my babies). Simon and Garfunkel, John Denver, mostly Don McLean. When I got to the part in “Starry, Starry Night” where Van Gogh commits suicide I always hummed that part… “…and when no hope was left in sight on that starry, starry night you took your life as lovers often do…” but I could have told you, Robbie, “this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you.”
By Sarah White5 years ago in Families
I will miss you
It was the called the rocked my world. The words that I didn't want to hear on my drive home from having fun. I thought that we would have more time to spend together but that was not to happen. I flew like the wind to get to your house. They have already taken you to the funeral home.
By Terri Rosall5 years ago in Families
Oh, How Time Flies on Motionless Wings
I don’t remember much about the days after I learned of my Robbie’s decision. There was a lot of wailing, a lot of denial, a lot of wishing that it was all a horrible dream from which I would mercifully soon awaken. At the same time all I wanted to do was sleep. At least in my dreams I stood the chance of seeing my precious boy. This side of consciousness was much too gut wrenchingly real. So I cried, I slept, I begged the universe to “not let it be true”. “No! No! No!” I thought, perhaps if I just kept yelling, “No!”
By Sarah White5 years ago in Families
Society’s reaction to my choice of leading a childless life
It’s not easy to lead a childless life. When I talk about the problems faced by young parents, I am well aware of the problems faced by childless couples as well. It’s not like we are not sacrificing anything to lead a life of our choice. But, we accept our sacrifices. My husband and I have made peace with the fact that we cannot do everything with so little time we get in a life. We have spent sleepless nights to figure out our future. This acceptance helps us to stand tall and face the consequences. But we could only wish our choices were acceptable to the people around us as well. Because we don’t want to lose them. We want them to accept us and our choices. I love these people and want to live around them.
By The Butterfly In Me5 years ago in Families
Feeling Lost: The Loss of my Dad
My dad died when I was 15. I was in 9th grade at the time. My dad was a hard working man. He was a diabetic but overall took good care of himself. He developed a brain tumor early that June and was sent to physical rehab before coming home. His blood sugar dropped after returning home that August and was rushed to the hospital. For two weeks he was in the ICU, then was moved to hospice before he passed away.
By Rachel Slater5 years ago in Families
For Oliver
I am going to die today, and I have made my peace with that. Before me stretched out, miles and miles of repulsively barren desert. Not a tree, not a cactus or shrub, not even a couple measly blades of desert grass; just a glaze on the horizon and the treacherous majesty of the sun. I shield my eyes and with a discernible amount of effort I look at that treacherous, disloyal, scathing, bastard sun; I thought you were the giver of life, I yell in my mind, my mouth too dry to speak, how can you betray us like this with death? It was getting hard to pick up my feet from the sand. Why are you forcing yourself to suffer? The Voice said. Shut up. I respond. Remember Oliver? The Voice whispers sinisterly, are you punishing yourself? My heart starts to race. I was nearly frothing from the mouth now. I stopped and flung my pack off my back. “Shut UP” I yell, swerving around and around, raising my fists. My ankle buckles beneath me and I can’t catch myself in time. I take a mouth full of sand and don’t have enough saliva to spit it out. I don’t have strength to rise. Panic bubbles in my throat for a minute then dissipates. This is how it’s going to end? The Voice taunts, how many cannibals and bandits have you fought off to die of thirst in the desert? Enough, now. I plead.
By Aubree Unruh 5 years ago in Families
MAMA WAS A SPITFIRE
Mother, in most ways, was normal. When my mom was young, right up until she became elderly, she was still a very attractive woman. Although her natural wavy blonde hair had turned white, her twinkling blue eyes remained young, playful, mischievous and precocious right to the end.
By Len Sherman5 years ago in Families
When Your Child Commits Suicide
Hi, my name is Sarah and I’m a suicide survivor. Not a suicide attempt survivor. That’s an entirely different animal. I survived (so far) the suicide of my 17 year old son. I don’t pretend to be a consummate writer or even a mediocre one. Indeed, you will definitely find far too many commas in the wrong places and most likely a dangling participle here and there, but my purpose here is not academic or even financial. I’m not going to beat myself up trying to come up with engaging content or compelling storylines. I’m just going to recall the whole journey to the best of my ability. I’m not really interested in this being a source of income. It’s more like free therapy… for me. My hope is that by sharing my story I might somehow help someone else… somehow.
By Sarah White5 years ago in Families
The Worst Morning.
"DAD, DAD......................wake up, please wake up for me[shaking him]" said sobbingly by a little girl. She remained there shocked and still holding her father's hand but then suddenly ran towards the door shouting, ringing the bell of the neighbours, begging for help. "Ohh, how can we forget, it's corona time, humanity died but it was good for them not for us at that moment" but than thankfully a family came forward to check what's wrong. They ran hurriedly inside the room, saw a person laying on the bed and as cold as ice. The little girl standing near the door, bowling her eyes out, shivering. They looked at her mom and shook their head from left to right, in order to say no, there is no life.
By Vanshika Dhawan5 years ago in Families
