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I don’t know what to say; Is there a way I can help?
I have several friends I often speak with, and I must preface that they have been highly supportive since my wife died over two years ago. I appreciate the meals, the invitations to parties, and the opportunities to socialize with them, but there is this feeling of discomfort every time we get together. There is…
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Epitaph – Words of Hope
Epitaph is defined as “words written in memory of a person who has died.” Sometimes it’s a phrase or a sentence that captures the essence of the person. An epitaph is frequently seen on a tombstone of someone who has passed away. It’s also the title of a beautiful poem by a woman named Merrit…
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“If You Feel You are in a black hole, don’t give up. There’s A Way Out” – Stephen Hawking
by Tom Peyton Stephen Hawking, the English theoretical physicist, was probably one of the greatest minds ever to exist. My feeble mind could never attempt to understand the workings of this genius, but a few of his famous quotes always inspired me. What strikes me about the passage mentioned above is that Hawking believed something…
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The Season of Fall and All Its Opportunities
By Tom Peyton For meteorologists, September 1st marks the beginning of Fall. For most parents, September means a return to school for their children, and for most people, a return to the routines of the Fall season. For those in the world of grief and loss, the season can trigger the loss, pain, and sadness…
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Grief and Anger
By Tom Peyton When my wife died over two years ago, I remember experiencing a gamut of emotions, with anger being the most prominent. Angry that I was now a Widower; angry that an illness ended my wife’s life and our almost 30-year marriage. Angry at the doctors, who I thought could have done more…
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Grief opens the mind to that we cannot explain
Last week Larry Aherns, one of our brother’s shared a short inspirational piece entitled: “A shout out to everyone who is trying right now” by S.C. Lourie. Lourie is an author and blogger from the U.K. who writes of hope to all who have suffered a loss. She suffered a miscarriage a few years ago…
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The Grief Club: My strength and hope
I never imagined that I would be a member of this group at age sixty-three. It’s a group no one wants to join, but circumstances, the loss of a loved one, put me into this club. You and I are part of a group of strangers, most of whom we would never have…
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Surviving the Holidays
Commercials and advertisements between late October until December 24th tell us it’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the time to buy presents, share gifts and celebrate the joy of being with your loved ones. It can be a painful, sad, and overwhelming time for those who have suffered a loss. It runs…
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Thankful for a Life Well Lived
About a week ago I saw an interview conducted with Steven Roberts husband, widower and best- selling author of a new book about his late wife Cokie Roberts entitled Cokie Roberts: A Life Well Lived. At the start of the interview the interviewer spoke about the impact Cokie Roberts had on her life as a…
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Transitional Objects
Last week I saw a story on the news about a woman who lost her 94-year-old father after he battled an illness for a short time. The woman reflected on the task that many of us have dreaded: sorting through her father’s belongings and then deciding what and to whom you want to give them.…
Widowers Support Network 