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.
A Letter to Nia
The silence was deafening as the boxes were loaded into the moving truck. Twenty-five years of marriage were over. My mom, Laura, stood motionless in the front room staring out the window as the movers carried boxes and furniture out of the house she shared with my dad for most of her life. They were married right after high school, both at 18 years old. She was the only child. Her mom passed away her senior year of high school and left everything to her. She never knew her dad. He left when she was three years old. Once she graduated high school, her and dad got married and lived in a house that together. My dad was always a loner and never talked about his family. I always had questions, but never pushed it.
By Crystal Miner5 years ago in Families
UNSTOPPABLE
It was October, Halloween, 2013, when Roy had been putting up lights and a few motion lights on his wife’s flower shop. He was standing at the top of the ladder, stretching out a bit too far when he took a very long hard fall to the concrete ground. Everyone had heard the loud noise but didn’t hear anything from him. They all assumed he was fine. Roy had cracked his head open, busted his shoulder and collar bone along with breaking other bones in his body. He had stood up as if nothing happened and went on to put his tools away. Some time had passed and his wife decided to go check on him as they had plans for the night. When she walked out to find him she screamed for help and call for an ambulance. He was bleeeding severely and wasn’t aware of what was going on. Moments later, he was being rushed to the nearby hospital. Which wasn’t long after that he was sent to another hospital. As his family arrived at the hospital they awaited for news. It was serious and the doctors had informed his wife to call everyone because they didn’t know how much time he’d have left. They had gave him a 5 percent chance of living and then if he did survive they weren’t sure how the outcome would be. So with that, his wife called everyone they knew to let them know what happened to Roy.
By Mary Edwards5 years ago in Families
Dealing With Loneliness
It's amazing how alone you can feel when you are surrounded by hundreds of people as you are grieving the passing of a loved one. I traveled a thousand miles from my home to a lovely beachside resort to escape the palatable loneliness that has become my life since my husband died. The beach I am on is serene and beautiful. The sound of the powerful waves crashing on the shore is peppered with the screeching of happy seagulls as they dance on the warm breeze that fills the brilliant blue sky. The beach is filled with vacationing families playing rambunctious games of volleyball, frolicking in the warm brown sand, and building elaborate sandcastles. An ornery little boy is happily chasing a reluctant and annoyed sea bird that is searching the beach for his lunch. You can hear the crowd's joyful laughter and see the smiles on their faces as they enjoy the time they are spending with one another.
By Michelle Cagle5 years ago in Families
Dear Mom
Dear Mom, Family sucks! As I sit here in a hoodie that's barely blocking the light emitting from my lamp, I wonder why we acquire the family that we have instead of the family that we want. I feel like a character in a novel written by someone who forgot to incorporate compassion, respect, and pure love.
By Shereese N5 years ago in Families
Always Loved
Tear drops drip, drip, drip down my cheeks onto the pillow. Lower lip is bitten in attempt to muffle the scream waiting to escape from the mouth. The bed is pounded by the fist repeatedly in an effort to let out some of the pent up frustration and rage. Continuous flashbacks play over and over in the brain, never letting things settle down for even a moment. What’s going on? This is grief, at least from my perspective.
By Rebecca Loretta Arbic5 years ago in Families
Brighter Days
It is midnight on a Tuesday and my sister and I are getting pulled from our beds by our mother to run off to a hotel, or what I called apartments at the time. This was normal for our family about once a month, when my dad would lose control and back my mom into a corner unleashing on her things that should never be unleashed. My sister and I would share a hotel bed and get up and go to school the next day as if nothing happened. Honestly, as much of a disruption this was I felt more at peace on those nights then when I was home in my own bed because the endless fighting would keep me awake. Shattering glass on the wall, the yelling and hateful words spewed from my parents mouths. School was my safe haven, school was a sanctuary and a safe place. Population 1,600, graduating class size 46 a place where you knew every person and they knew everything about you or at least what you wanted them to know.
By Tara Horvath5 years ago in Families
