You can mourn too long. And you can move on too soon. As the years pass by, you may struggle to know how to remember a loved one who passed away. You find a new relationship, or you fear that grief burdens your friends, or you feel old wounds reawaken. So, what do you do? […]
The casket—draped with the American Flag—rested on a bier above the open grave. My dad had served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. Family and friends were milling about, drying tears, shaking hands, searching for kind, thoughtful words: “We’re praying for you. I’m sorry for your loss. That was a very […]
She has a ten percent chance of surviving. When you hear those words something within you shuts down. From somewhere deep inside—a place you’ve never been, never seen, never knew was there—something disappears. It’s like your computer crashing, then rebooting, but when the screen comes up all you see is that little spinning circle. No […]
“In a way aren’t you glad she’s gone?” The question surprised me so much I almost missed the statement that followed: “I don’t blame you if you are.” I didn’t answer. But as an investigator I had seen it many times. You ask a question. Seated opposite you, the person you asked looks up and […]
Sometimes we want to offer support and comfort. Other times we want to show how thoughtful, theological, and intellectual we are. But whether it’s heartfelt warmth or haughty wisdom, we find ourselves not knowing the right words to say when someone is grieving. It’s intimidating, daunting, unnerving. We mean well and we try our best, […]
The trees sway gently in the breeze as birds flutter playfully from limb to limb. The brilliant color of the bright, sunny sky offers a sneak preview of tiny blue eggs that will soon fill nests carefully hidden among the branches. I turn my head away from this scene outside my window, bringing my gaze […]