Compassion and Peace in a Confusing World
I woke up last week confronted with thoughts of grief resulting from the growing number of horrific deaths throughout the world. As I read the newspaper and watched the quick-rising casualties related to the wars in Israel and Ukraine, the result of another major earthquake in Afghanistan, and the daily tally of gun related violence… Continue reading Vicarious Grief Again
The At Peace blog has been dealing with big issues lately. I have tried to tackle long term grief, properly saying good bye to loved ones, suicides, mass murders, and many other difficult issues. This post was written months ago and not used because we had such big issues circulating around our country. So for the first… Continue reading Why Did the Squirrel Cross the Road?
I attended a Celebration of Life last week at my church. The person whose life we celebrated died over three years ago. I often am asked, “What exactly is a Celebration of Life?” This question is difficult to answer because in my experience the event may mean different things to each family which organizes them.… Continue reading Celebration of Life and Mourning
Last week, I surpassed a major marker in one’s life – seventy years old. At sixty I did not feel old. When I retired a few years later, I did not feel old either. But, for me, the 70 age had a different feeling. I don’t even like to type the number. Nonetheless, I am… Continue reading Growing Older
Once again, I am “blown away” (excuse the reference) about the loss we are experiencing in the U.S. The folks in Hawaii (Maui) are suffering the horrible consequences of wildfires. More than one hundred are dead and homes, stores and cities have been significantly damaged. Searches for others lost in Hawaii continue. Southern California storms… Continue reading A Tender Heart
Reading articles about grief often stimulate an outline for a blog post. I add my reflections on the topic and sometimes share ways in which I deal with my personal grief. By writing about it to others, it becomes a way to mourn because the grief has now gone public. I recently read about a… Continue reading Grieving Forever
I wake up each morning, grab the newspaper and a cup of tea and try to make sense of the world. I can’t. The stories generally seem so negative that they are sometimes difficult to read. However, I don’t stop reading because acknowledging that evil and serious concerns exist, I have this crazy idea that… Continue reading Vicarious Grief
My guess is that people who are trained in a particular area of study carry that skill throughout retirement, but I had no idea how it related to high school reunions. I am credentialed in the understanding of grief and loss as my gift that tags along with me. Recently, I attended a reunion of… Continue reading High School Reunions
Last week I read a nice little story in The Guardian newspaper U.S. edition. Written by Anthony Seldon, he reflects on Celebration Day, May 26, 2023. He writes, “I am not sure that people do die – if dying means annulling, disappearing, or being extinguished. They live on in the memories of those who knew and loved them.”… Continue reading The Importance of Memories
For the past couple months I have focused the At Peace blog toward understanding the importance of helping others who are experiencing loss in their life. I hope readers received something helpful in the posts. This week I have received some big-time help in the effort. On May 2, 2023 our Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, declared loneliness as… Continue reading Addressing Loneliness
At Peace 