death

My family still couldn't talk about her death out loud, but I needed a reminder she was really gone.

A Stranger Answered My Aunt's Disconnected Number; Here's What He Taught Me About Grief

I touched “Aunt Kelly” on the screen and waited for a robotic voice to say, “this number has been disconnected.” This is how I met Shawn.

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As a mother, I do my best to avoid thinking about death, while failing spectacularly by frequently thinking about it.

I Don’t Have A Plan If I Die 

I don’t have a plan if I die. Who could I possibly choose to replace me? No one can replace me. I'm one of a kind. I am a mother.

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There is no more powerful place to learn a life lesson than at the bedside of the dying.

What Really Matters: A Lesson From The Dying

There is no more powerful place to learn a life lesson than at the bedside of the dying. At the end, very little matters.

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Mandy and Rory. (image credit: Mariah Aro Sharp @mightymooseart)

My Toddler Son Died. How Does An Awareness Month Help?

Where is my loss awareness month? The greatest gift you could give to the parent of a child who has died is to speak of their child when you think of them.

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Every time I tell a story about her, I’m keeping our memories alive, one leaf at a time.

Surviving Autumn Without My Mom

We think of holidays and big moments first when we think about death. What we don’t talk about are the little moments in between, like surviving Autumn.

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Just like getting in that car with a stranger years ago, I don’t know where this path I am on will lead me.

What Learning About Death Taught Me About Life

Death is the one thing that connects us all, and yet, it is one area in which we are least prepared.

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Just be there.

Ways You Can Help: The First Holiday After The Death Of A Loved One

If someone you care about is suffering through the pain of first holidays without someone they love, there are things you can do.

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A Happy Death, Full Of Light And Color

It's possible to mourn and celebrate, to be with someone you can't see or feel, and to find some kind of joy even when you're mired in loss.

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