by barhop | Aug 15, 2014 | Blog, Tips, Topics & Stories |
What do I say to a bereaved parent or grandparent? Will it cause them more pain if I mention their child? Is it best to avoid them and the topic? Actually, please do not avoid families that have lost a child or had any traumatic loss. They need your support! Based...
by barhop | Jul 31, 2014 | Blog, Tips, Topics & Stories |
Is there ANYTHING more difficult than recovering from traumatic loss? Especially the loss of a child? … not that I’ve encountered. When you suffer that level of loss, your body and mind goes into shock. Protective numbness may take over – for...
by barhop | Jun 10, 2014 | Blog, Tips, Topics & Stories |
Last weekend was the twelfth anniversary of my older son Brent’s transition. It was actually a loving, peaceful two days, for which I was very grateful. TWO days? How? Why? The two-day part is easy to explain… Brent had a motorcycle accident one Friday on his...
by barhop | May 7, 2014 | Blog, Resources, Self-Care & Tools, Tips, Topics & Stories |
Tomorrow is my son Brent’s birthday. He left us just after his 21st birthday. He’d be 33 tomorrow. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRENT! I can feel the familiar pall come over me today as I anticipate Brent’s birthday without him physically here, but I know he is here with me...
by barhop | Apr 17, 2014 | Blog, Resources, Self-Care & Tools, Tips |
“When someone we love dies, it seems as if time stands still. And silence… a quiet sadness… often can be felt, not just heard, a longing for one more day… one more word… one more touch… And we may not understand why God chose to...
by barhop | Apr 9, 2014 | Blog, Resources, Self-Care & Tools, Tips, Topics & Stories |
At first, in the early stage of intense grief after I lost my older son Brent, I couldn’t even listen to music — at least not without crying. The only music I focused on was picking out the music for the wake and funeral. My head felt so foggy, I could not even read,...
