Unpopular opinion: I’m not against the “five stages of grief.” The majority of grief advocates argue against the use of the five stages of grief and while I agree with many of their points, I don’t fully agree with getting rid of “the five stages” altogether. *Side note: The argument is that grief cannot be […]
When someone dies, people around that person often feel guilty (along with every other emotion ever felt). We feel guilt after a death for many reasons. Sometimes we wish we could’ve done something more to prevent it. Sometimes we wish we would’ve spent more time with that person or told them that we love them […]
It’s 9:30PM on January 9, 2021. My kids are asleep and the day is nearly over. I’m usually asleep by now, but I find myself unable to close my eyes. Today marks 10 years since my identical twin’s sudden and tragic passing. As I lay here reflecting, I feel a multitude of emotions, as you […]
No, I’m not referring to the 1621 harvest gathering between the Native Americans and the Pilgrims. Instead, I’m going to be discussing the first Thanksgiving after significant loss. Despite having already gotten through a few holidays in The First Year after my loss, Thanksgiving felt like the first “big” holiday I would have to navigate […]
My grief journey began on January 9, 2011 when I suddenly and tragically lost my identical twin sister. The tragedy made front headlines and continued to over the years to come (remember this part for later in the post). The first few months were a complete blur. I can recall some significant moments here and […]
Obviously jealousy appears in many different settings and relationships, but here we are going to be talking about jealously and how it pertains to grief. We’ve talked about this before, but here’s a quick reminder. The definition of grief is, “keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; painful regret.” Grief can be […]
You’re probably expecting me to say, “It’s really hard.” And if you are, then, you’re right. Almost anyone (even a non-griever) can come to the conclusion that the first year is really hard. Really, really hard. It’s awful. And I actually hate saying that because there were some happy times during my first year (for […]
If you’re familiar with Publix then you probably know that their motto is, “Where Shopping is a Pleasure.” And if you don’t know Publix, it’s a grocery store chain in the southeast. It’s known for delicious subs and exceptional customer service. I just have to say, there is no customer service like Publix. I mean […]
I get asked this question a lot. “Were you afraid to have children?” This question is in the past tense because I have children now. And it’s asked because I have experienced, like many of you, sudden, horrific loss. Now, back to the question. “Were you afraid to have children?” Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: […]
Going through a deceased loved one’s clothing is not something people who haven’t grieved really think about. At least I never thought about it before I experienced significant, sudden loss. It’s one of those many, MANY layers that grievers have to peel away. It’s hard. It’s sad. It hurts. It’s not fair. It’s traumatic. My […]
