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.

Awakening Through My Father's Death
The week before my father’s death I had some pretty intense stuff happening around me. Specifically, on the portal night of 2.2.2020; I was visited by my guides. I had a listless night of sleep, having extreme dreams, including a lucid dream. I had been tossing and turning, stuck in that twilight sleep already, and time felt like it was moving in a spiral rather than a straight line. Before I knew it, I was in a lucid dream, sleep paralysis and all. Next to my bed stood a very tall, thin, white (almost translucent) torso; I began to panic. Something within me told me to relax. This isn’t malicious; it’s actually one of my guides, and I instantly fell back asleep. While asleep, I dreamt that I was at work but dressed for a funeral. I was running around because I was throwing an event (possibly the funeral), and I then met up with my close friend and his brother. The way I was comforting my friend, I thought the funeral was for his father. I don’t remember anything else from the dream, but I woke again, and I thought my boyfriend was getting into bed. He told me, “You have to move,” because I was on his side of bed; I apologized and rolled over. Some more time passes, and I wake again, rolling over to see my boyfriend wasn’t actually in bed. I suspect what I saw and heard before was my guide once again. I’m not sure what that message was all about, maybe I literally have to move from where I’m living. Maybe I just have to make moves to find my true calling. Who knows? Time will tell. I remember seeing so many different times on the clock, and like I said before, time felt like it was moving in a spiral, like I was re-experiencing times on the clock. I could have sworn I saw 3:33 multiple times. But that night turned into morning, and I had to go off to work.
By Stephie Ross5 years ago in Families
Different
The photo included is of my oldest daughter and my great grandmother. This women adopted me when I was about 2 weeks of age. Legally about 6. I’ve decided to include this woman because it was not until after she passed away that all of questions and vulnerabilities came to the surface. Prior to her passing I have experienced some traumatic experiences that I will write about later on in a separate story.
By Latisha Folden5 years ago in Families
Mirrors of Memory
This is a story. This story is of the author of this paper. The contradiction is that this is a story that seeks to find the start and the end. A never-ending story, in an ongoing process, with various points inside that have a beginning and an end. The end of each of those ruptures in the story has a material manifestation of a variety of forms and shapes. I can only process my story through the processing of remembering and forgetting.
By Petra Kubisova5 years ago in Families
Destination Sunrise
Everyone remembers their first car. More than the shiny parts and rumbling engine, it represents the end of childhood and beginning of freedom and independence. My first ride moved faster and further in my mind than the four wheels could take me, but I longed for every mile and yearned to get there, with no destination in mind.
By Tracy Himes5 years ago in Families
Grief is so weird
Grief is so weird .... It has no boundaries and it has no consideration for anything going on in your life. It has the ability to make you feel incredibly strong for learning how to live with it, and then without warning it has the ability to bring you to your knees in utter pain and sorrow. I’ve said that the 2nd year has been the hardest so far without Donny, but what I didn’t share is how erratic the emotions are that have come with this part of my journey.
By Jessica Richardson6 years ago in Families
Grief
I recently lost my father. It's been the heaviest and most difficult experience I've ever had to face. You wish the world would stop and give you time to grieve but it won't. We live in a "Carry on" society and although I've had tons of support, I can't help but to feel like there's a long, lonely road ahead.
By Karina Nistal6 years ago in Families
Return to Normal
I am almost eighteen when I return to the US after nearly a full year as an exchange student in France. My father picks me up at JFK airport, driving me around Queens and Long Island without specifying his intent. We visit Oyster Bay. But we do not leave the car, except when we look for the bookstore so that I can run in for something to read. On this same day, we drive back from the island up toward Vermont. He takes me through Montpelier, silently driving on our way to Canada. After crossing the northern border, my father insists I draw out my own cash from what is left of my grandmother's small inheritance. We stop at a bank, at a gas station and anywhere we can find. As usual, he stays in the car while I carry on my efforts at his whim. We rarely leave the car on our trips, only stopping for fast food or at gas stations. This is how my father travels through time. In perfect Parisian French, I ask a stranger for a distributeur de billets—an automatic teller machine, which no one seems to have in this land—or at least will not admit to understanding. Increasingly sweaty under a hot summer sun, a lady takes pity on me in my search, "Ah! Vous avez besoin d'un A-T-M." You need an ATM. Yes, in fact, I was looking in vain for an ATM.
By Jennifer6 years ago in Families
Life after a loved one's death
It is tough to want to continue to live once you’ve lost someone. Moving forward is difficult. Existing in a world where that person is not present is hard. All you want to do is to go back. Go back and relive all the memories with that person. Tell this person repeatedly about how much you love them and appreciate them in your life. Hold them tight. Don’t let them away from your sight ever. And spend every single moment you can with them. Because once they are gone, life becomes a nightmare, and finding the motivation to move on is hard.
By map6 years ago in Families
how not to go insane
here it is when i was a kid i lived in Kimberly BC, grew up there for most of my child hood. it was OK i guess. i was a problem child if ya want to call it, i wasn't really getting in trouble at all but i was fighting all the time going home getting beat or smacked around fr the littlest things like being 5 min late and i lived 10 km out side of town in Meadow Brook, a little trailer court on the side of the road and if ya blinked at the wrong moment ya missed it. so getting to learn that if your not 5 min early your late happen real fast. so i guess i should start at the beginning...
By Jessy Woodward6 years ago in Families
Happy Birthday
When my Joey made his transition to Heaven, I was left with unending pain, and a host of "firsts" that provide a mountain of thoughts and tears. Joey left on November 5th, 2019 - I stumbled through Thanksgiving, Christmas was Hell, then New Years, where I spent the entire day in bed crying. January 21st, his 35th birthday.... My heart continued to shatter as I remembered all his birthdays and the moment of his birth. Then came Easter - one of my favorite memories are Easter Sundays with both my boys.... oh how I miss those days.
By Kathleen Elizabeth Comfort-Steinbaecher6 years ago in Families
Crevices
Six Mommy said your lips are all blue as she bent down and tried to wipe the color off with a wet napkin. Yeah and my teeth hurt a little I said. Daddy said that’s what too much sugar can do to your teeth. Lights flickered and loud music played. It all made me dizzy and I tweaked from the sugar high. We spun on rides too many times and my tummy hurt. I told Daddy that I wasn’t feeling so good. He said let’s get out of here; maybe grab some good dinner. Mommy held my right hand and Daddy held my left hand. They swung me back and forth. I said weeeeee weeeeee like the stupid little piggy. We skipped to a restaurant called Antonio’s. We ate pizza. Italian music played in the restaurant and Daddy and Mommy took me to a spot without tables. We danced. Mommy picked me up and kissed me so many times. I said stop it and laughed. Daddy took me by the arms and spun me around and around. Lots more laughter. The day shouldn’t have ended, but it did.
By Steven Petrella6 years ago in Families
Unfortunate events
For years I’ve always wondered out of curiosity what life Would have been like if you were still alive, would I have achieved everything I have achieved, Would I have been a different person then I am today? Would you be proud of me? For years I’ve always questioned myself.
By Glenys Nicholas6 years ago in Families