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
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
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
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
Last weekend I received a voice mail from Mary, the wife of a friend who worked with me for a number of years. We both retired from our bereavement support jobs about the same time. Mary’s message suggested some troubling news. I immediately returned the call and learned that Michael had died. Difficult news to… Continue reading The World According to Michael
This week I sat in my home office with the television news on. I glanced at pictures of people killed in the Nashville mass shooting. I think my heart skipped a beat when I saw the photo of a nine-year old girl. Her name is Hallie Scruggs. I thought of my seven-year-old granddaughter and refocused… Continue reading May the Light Shine
With all the losses we have faced in the past few years, I have been writing a lot about getting involved with your friends, members of your faith community, neighbors, and friends of friends. I have been making the point that companioning people who have suffered losses do not always require professional therapists, but the… Continue reading Offering Companionship
Last month, I posted a few thoughts about Damar Hamlin’s serious football injury. Football injuries happen with every game, but Damar’s was dramatically different. His heart stopped beating twice. Many of the players and coaches grasped the critical nature of the injury, dropped to their knees and began to pray. The good news is Damar appears… Continue reading An Update and a Mini-Lesson
Almost a month has passed since a Newport News, Virginia elementary school teacher was shot in her class by a six-year-old student. The teacher, Abigail Zwerner, is recovering following surgery and hospitalization. A few days after the shooting, I spoke with a friend who lives in the New York metropolitan area who wanted to know… Continue reading A School Shooting
Last week I was finishing the next post for At Peace, and then, I learned a close friend died. This news stopped me in my tracks and I decided to write about his loss. I spoke with my friend at church every week. I will call him, Jim... because that is his name. Jim was a very interesting… Continue reading And Then…
At Peace 