grief

Losing a family member is one of the most traumatic life events; Families must support one another to endure the five stages of grief and get through it together.

31st October 2008
I've been signed up to this site for about two weeks and have wanted to start writing articles, but couldn't find anything good to write about. Then on the 31st October 2017, it hit me. My first article will be about one of the worst days of my life and how this holiday is a part of that.
By bailey saunders8 years ago in Families
For You, Dad.
The year grandma passed away was the roughest. Following right after that was your divorce and the addiction you struggled with for many years. But for the loss of your mom, I knew a part of you had gone away forever. Although things had drastically changed, you always kept your spirits up and gave me everything I could ever want. You had been struggling with your own demons but you always pushed them aside to make sure I got the childhood I deserved. You would never show me that we were struggling and you did such a great job, I had no idea that things were going downhill so fast.
By Lei H8 years ago in Families
To the Grandmother I Never Knew...
You didn't know me, and I didn't know you. We were merely strangers that shared DNA. The saying blood runs deep is both true and yet, a lie. You see, I will never live without you, even though I did live without you. I will never forget you, though from day to day, you were like a whisper rather than an actual presence in my life.
By Jessie Melanson8 years ago in Families
Gone Too Soon
It’s been almost three years since you decided to leave us for greener pastures. I still don't understand why you felt that was the only way to fix things. I thought that you were happy and finally able to cope with your pain and longings to be somewhere else but it would appear that I was wrong.
By Sherri Ruoti8 years ago in Families
Writing Empathy, Influenced by Loss
Warning: May be hard to read if you've lost a loved one. It was certainly hard to write. Before I start, I want to mention a song: "Lithium," by Evanescence. It's not really fitting to what I want to talk about, but... it's a song that means a lot to me, for a lot of reasons. As I may write about someday, my mother and some other members of my family struggle with addiction, which is one reason why the song holds a lot of weight with me. It also makes me think of depression, which is another subject I believe I have a good understanding of. And, in truth, my favorite character ever written suffered from manic depression. But this song is also one that I listen to when I'm in my darkest spots. I listen to it when I'm feeling rejected... I listen to it when I feel low. And I listened to it, for a very long time, when my grandfather died.
By Summer Rain8 years ago in Families
Living a Life of Abuse
I grew up in a home that was far from perfect. My brother and I were both adopted after my mom found out she couldn't have any more children.
By Kristina Hedley8 years ago in Families
Addiction
Sometimes I wonder if it was suicide, a way out of misery. A life left alone, old and frail, a life where if no friends were available for fun then life wasn't worth anything. He seemed so confused about what was the right thing that the bad things were hidden in the obvious. We all knew he had a problem but we couldn't talk about it. It hurt too much.
By Juliaa &&kidds8 years ago in Families
The Grief That Keeps on Giving
For those of you that haven't lost a parent, I envy you. I sincerely do. I don't care if you don't like them or if you don't get along with them or whatever, I am so very jealous of you. My dad died on February 18, 2017 and I remember that day like it was yesterday. I remember crying hysterically and feeling like I wasn't able to breathe. I remember feeling not sad, but just... utterly devastated about what just happened. But most of all, I remember feeling numb. Completely numb. This month marks 8 months since he left us and I still feel like it just happened yesterday.
By Rachel H8 years ago in Families
Don't Miss Him Til He's Gone
It is real easy to take someone for granted while they are still around. Even though we may take our loved ones for granted, most of the time it isn't intentional. There are plenty of everyday things that seem minor on a regular day, but looking back they could mean the world to someone reflecting back. It's not that you didn't care, it was just the norm. The sad reality is sometimes it takes someone being gone for you to notice and appreciate some of the things they have done for you.
By Kiara Bowens8 years ago in Families
The Sound of Shattering Glass
My problems all started on the day that I found him dead. My then-girlfriend and I came home from vacation. We were up with friends in northern Minnesota, drinking and smoking a weekend away. We arrived to find my father and three of his friends hanging out, having just finished their fantasy draft. We all exchanged pleasantries. Lady and I went to bring our things downstairs into my basement. I recall the last exchange my dad and I would ever have, him grousing about a computer mouse he felt I had misplaced. I snapped back about how I had been gone that whole weekend and wouldn't know where the fuck it is. Me being tired from a long weekend and my pop being drunk and baked himself, I gave the terse nature of the conversation no further thought, at least at the time.
By Mathew Beconovich8 years ago in Families
Cope
Losing somebody you love changes you. It changes the person you are at that time, and the person you’ll be in the future. It’s something that you must cope with, but that’s something a lot of people can’t do. But I did. And because of that, there is nothing in my life that I am any prouder of.
By Cassandra Slade8 years ago in Families
Special Days
I am two days away from marrying the man of my dreams and I could not be more excited. I am also having a difficult time because two years ago my dad passed away because of cancer.
By Melissa Balthrop8 years ago in Families