Posts by Elizabeth Coplan
I Harvested Death from my Garden Today
As part of our Out of Grief Comes Art series, I want to share the photo essay from our friend Marit Krueger. Although these photographs were taken in fall 2018, their images showcase how life becomes death in order to be reborn. I Harvested Death from my Garden Today by Marit Krueger Gathered her in…
Read MoreEmpty Chair and Holiday Grief
My mother died in January 2001. She missed September 11th, the anthrax attack and the Patriot Act. She missed the news of the space shuttle Columbia disintegration, the capture of Saddam Hussein, and the death of Osama Bin Laden. She never saw my posts on Facebook or heard of Katrina, Irma or Ike. Sadly, she…
Read MoreMemorial Day: Sun Mixed with Rain
Robert J. PohlmannNovember 1, 1987 Each year, around Memorial Day, I remember my father with love, grief, and a touch of anger. Dad served his country in Korea and later in Vietnam, Thailand, oh and in Cambodia (but shh! U.S. military was not there). My grief renews when I think of memories my sons will…
Read MoreWriting A Letter to Your Deceased Loved One
Writing a letter to a deceased love one offers important therapy to heal grief. Your grief is palpable. You think of your deceased loved one and you can not imagine your days without him/her. Perhaps you make an appointment with a therapist or MD. You take the prescribed meds and follow your doctor’s advice to…
Read MoreBe Brave: A Wife’s Journey Through Caregiving
by Florrie Munat Florrie Munat became her husband Chuck’s caregiver on the day he suffered a severe stroke. Any chances for his recovery were derailed when they learned that Chuck was suffering from Lewy body dementia. After that devastating news, Florrie and Chuck assumed their loving marriage had been shattered forever. But what happened next…
Read MoreVegas Strong
by Crystal Perkins, Jessica Arden, Paul Atreides and Joey Blue “Vegas Strong” is a collection of short stories of the drama that occurred in the city of Las Vegas. October 1, 2017. It’s a day the world will never forget, and the people of Las Vegas will always remember. One man committed an act of domestic terrorism on…
Read MoreAttending the Funeral or Seeing Your Loved ONE LAST TIME?
Earlier this year, when my husband, Scott, and I visited his parents in their Chicago retirement home, I overheard two men talking about someone who just died. “You heard Jack died, right?” said one man. “Sure did,” said the man whose name I later learned was Jerry. “You going to the funeral in Florida?” Jerry…
Read MoreThere Is No Good Card for This: What To Say and Do When Life Is Scary, Awful, and Unfair to People You Love
by Kelsey Crowe and Emily McDowell When someone you know is hurting, you want to let her know that you care. But many people don’t know what words to use — or are afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. This thoughtful, instructive guide, from empathy expert Dr. Kelsey Crowe and greeting card maverick…
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