Tag Archives: Grief

The Sacred Pit

April 6, 2020 · by · in "The Rosary Prayer by Prayer", Book, Catholic, Christian, Death and Dying, Faith, Family, Grieving with Mary, spirituality · 3 Comments

After Jesus was scourged, he likely was held in a dungeon. Jerusalem marks a cave beneath the house of Ciaphas which may have been the one where Jesus was held. It’s thought that prisoners were lowered into dark, damp caves by ropes that were tied under their arms. The rope was long enough for prisoners […]

One Year Later

March 7, 2020 · by · in Alzheimer's disease, Book, Books, Death and Dying, Faith, Family, Midwest, The Alzheimer's Spouse · 3 Comments

Life goes on. Our loved ones pass and it’s a day, a week, a year. Before we know it, it’s 21 years since we last kissed their cheek, as it is with my mother. Our loved ones are frozen in time. We remember them just as we saw them last. But we keep growing older, […]

The Other Side of Mourning

May 21, 2019 · by · in Alzheimer's disease, Book, Death and Dying, Family, Health, The Alzheimer's Spouse · 2 Comments

It’s an unusual kind of mourning. Friends who lost a loved-one to dementia before me told me that the mourning period after death would be different than typically occurs. It isn’t as if our loved one suddenly died in an accident or suffered from a physical illness where we could still speak with them until […]

How Long Will This Depression Last?

May 21, 2018 · by · in Book, Catholic, Christian, Death and Dying, Faith, Family, Grieving with Mary, Health · Leave a comment

We prayed. We bargained. We begged. God did not answer our prayer as we hoped and now we are falling into a dark pit. Depression is a common response to grief and often follows denial, anger, and bargaining. We feel powerless in our loss. Something or someone dear was taken from us and we could […]

Let’s Make a Deal

April 24, 2018 · by · in Book, Catholic, Christian, Death and Dying, Faith, Grieving with Mary, Health, spirituality · Leave a comment

“Lord, if you help me find a job today, I promise I’ll never complain about going to work. I will go in every day with a smile on my face.” Not all losses are the same but losing a job is close to the top, because it is painful on several levels. The loss of […]

The Sad Part of Happy Events

June 20, 2017 · by · in Alzheimer's disease, Book, Family, Navigating Alzheimer's · 2 Comments

A group of friends recently gathered to present a magic show at the memory community in which Marshall resides. These dear friends donated time and talent to honor Marshall and bring magic and laughter to the residents, staff, and family members. The hour-long show was packed with laughter and surprise. The residents in this community are at […]

Bring Them Home

February 27, 2017 · by · in Book, Catholic, Christian, Faith, Family, Grieving with Mary, spirituality · Leave a comment

The loss of a child leaves a hole in a loving parent’s heart. Whether we lose them through employment or military relocation, disagreements, substance abuse, or death, nothing can replace their absence. The pain may change over time, but it remains in some form until we reunite. Not a day goes by that memories of […]

Exposing Children to Death

August 21, 2016 · by · in Book, Catholic, Christian, Death and Dying · Leave a comment

  I learned early on that death is a part of life. I come from a large Irish/Italian/German family that is constantly in flux. Birth and death are part of the life process and both are cause for celebration. We share the joy when a baby enters our circle, and as much as we miss […]

Sorrow into Success

March 29, 2016 · by · in Book, Catholic, Christian, Faith, Family, Grieving with Mary, Health, spirituality · Leave a comment

This generation is greatly blessed to have witnessed several saints in action. Pope Saint John Paul II and the soon to be Saint Mother Teresa are two of the powerful role models we’ve had. In this modern age, we were able to actually see these faith-filled lives in action in real time. We read about them in […]