Hello Grief

It is widely known that men and women process emotions differently and being in a relationship with someone who has lost a loved one can be particularly challenging. Guest author Maureen Hunter shares some insight on how to respect and support each other through these differences.

Join Comfort Zone Camp on November 17, 2011 in raising awareness about the prevalence of childhood grief and ways to support young people and families who have suffered a loss. Here are some simple ways you can help to make a difference in the life of a grieving child or teen.

The truth about grief and loss is that they do not always come with pretty, neatly packaged feelings. Many of us have had thoughts that we may be afraid to share with others, for fear of what they may think of us, for fear that they may see how broken the loss has truly left us. One very honest woman shares her thoughts here, and helps us to see the many faces of grief.

For the second year, Nicole sent her son Richard to Comfort Zone Camp after Richard’s baby brother passed away. Nicole shares what she experienced when picking Richard up from our recent camp in New Jersey and how camp has impacted her family.

As people grieve, they need to recognize that there are certain situations that they may not be able to handle. Guest author David Robert reminds us that recognizing our limitations is a key ingredient in learning to take care of ourselves during our lifelong journeys.

When guest author Jan Groft’s attended the funeral of her sister Dolores, she noted that Dolores’ lipstick was not applied correctly. Jan tells us that this is how we cope. We grasp for the tangible, the physical, a place to park our grief, if only temporarily, a safe and familiar rest stop.

As many grieving people know, keeping a loved one’s memory alive after they die can be a difficult task. Guest author Colleen Wilson shares some interesting ways that she feels her mother’s presence in her life now.

Guest author Emily Sullivan’s dad died when she was very young, so she has few memories of him. But in many ways, she has found that we are all extensions of the people that we have lost. Using her dad’s old camera, Emily experiences a new type of connection with the unique man he was.

During and after her mother’s battle with cancer, guest author Meghan O’Rourke found that society’s picture of grief did not fit her own experience. She shares what she learned, and what she still hopes to learn by delving into her own personal feelings of loss.

Ten years after losing her husband in the 9/11 attacks, guest author Abigail Carter looks at the many ways her life has changed. She shares how she and her children have created a a new and wonderful life together, a life that may have seemed impossible when she first lost her husband.