new year – Listening Hearts

Debra Reagan

This article was originally published in www.opentohope.com on Jan. 7, 2009, a website whose mission is to help those who have suffered a loss to cope with their pain and invest in the future.

I was sitting at my desk and glanced at the new calendar hanging on the wall. Suddenly, I was hit with the overwhelming thought of another. My heart ached over the thought of another birthday for my deceased child, another anniversary date, and all the other holidays that would come around another time. Many questions came to mind. Had I not gone through the depths of grief? Had I not walked through the Valley of the Shadows? Was this not enough? How could I be expected to do more??

Julie McGregor

Originally published in Listening Hearts Newsletter Jan-Feb 2012

Another Christmas with all the activities had come and gone, and once again my husband Roy and I celebrated New Year’s Eve with good friends. We were in a room full of people, all happy and laughing, making their New Year resolutions.

I wondered what sad stories may be hiding behind some of the faces in the room, as people put on their mask once again, so the world doesn’t see their pain. I know for certain one friend at our table hides the deep pain of a son’s suicide, many years ago, in a time when such things were hushed up and rarely spoken of since. We only found out when we lost our son Joel, four and a half years ago, and then it was through the wife of his second marriage. We had known this friend for four years, and were shocked, and while we knew he felt our deep pain, sadly he still couldn’t bring himself to speak of it.

another new year collage of bereaved mother and son

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Tag: new year

Another Year – Another Piece of the Grief Journey

Debra Reagan

Another New Year

Julie McGregor