Losses We Live With

Sweet Snow Day

lossblog — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:42:45 +0000

It’s snowing, and snowing, and snowing. The weekend is here so no getting to work to worry about. The rest of the family is safe at home too. Electricity even stayed on to make chili and then hot chocolate later. Just a sweet weekend. Say a prayer for safety on the highways for others who have to go out !

Loss hits in the Hallmark Store

lossblog — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:08:39 +0000

Over the holidays my friend Karen and I visited the Hallmark store for our annual card and gift seeking adventure. Usually this also involves a focus on wrapping paper and ornaments, but this year, with the wrap covered already and the tree overstocked we moved a little slower past the massive greeting card sections. It was then it hit me. Over the past 10 years or so I have lost many family members. I passed both “Grandmother” and “Grandfather”, but have been doing this for a few years; next “Mom” and “Dad” went by (I hope that my now grown children will choose and purchase these on their own !). The need for a “Merry Christmas Uncle” card is non existent this year and only a single “Aunt” card is purchased. As an only child, a brother or sister was never a needed greeting. Before I moved on to the “Son”, “Friend” and “Husband” sections, all dear to my heart, I realized the sadness brought on by loss and the passing of time. Today I decide to take a moment to remember the beauty of my experiences with family and friends now gone and then remind myself of the need to Thank God for both those times and times yet to come with my current circle of love. Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year !!

Losing Control ~ (or somebody listen to me!!)

lossblog — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:59:32 +0000

On any given day there are quite a few things that we think
we have control of. Some days just seem to go the other
way. As hope for a turnaround begins to fade other things
start to slip away along with it. Like confidence. And self
esteem. And a pleasant disposition. On days like this, no
matter whether the losses are small or great pick something
that you can pull back into your corner and work hard on
it. It may be completing a task you have put off, cleaning
the house (this is a great one for me), making calls, getting
tires rotated, or exercising. Choose something realistic
that can bring on a sense of accomplishment and a renewed
sense of control. If the disaster seems to be overwhelming,
call in the right organizer to help you ~ we all have one
in our circle of family and friends and get to work making
a list of tasks. Remember the one thing that we always
have in our control is how we choose to face any problem !

I Didn’t Win ~ (But does that really mean I lost ?)

lossblog — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:35:19 +0000

Lots of challenges and competitions out there in the world.
It begins early on for all of us and our successes and failures
contribute to our character as we move along. Even more
importantly how we learn to react to the wins and losses
is important. Our reactions are a combination of our own
personalities and who we have standing by us at the time.
Kind words, congratulations, support, gratititude all impact
us. Remember this when you have the opportunity to help
a friend, a child, anyone (!) respond to the wins and losses
of life with the attitude that “having tried is always a win”.
Take a few minutes and remember a time in your own life
when the words of another changed your reaction from
negative to positive. A time when someone made you
proud of trying.

Guiding Light ~ Losing a Daytime Friend

lossblog — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:01:30 +0000

Over many years the actors of the Daytime Soap Guiding Light
have made me laugh, made me cry, gave me the gift of
anticipation, and provided a focus when everything else seemed
to just give me grief. These were my friends were they not? It
certainly seemed that I lived their lives right along with them,
even when they came via a VCR tape, and later by DVR, and
were viewed in a clump on a Saturday afternoon. I feel a real
sense of loss since the last day of the longest running soap in
broadcast history and struggle to fill the void. I must admit that
knowing a few months ahead of time as well as the fine way the
story came to an end has helped. Thanks CBS for the closure.
We miss you Reva and Josh and all the others in our
“extended family”.

Loss of Hope

lossblog — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:39:18 +0000

Disappointment, loss, a change in direction, can cause a sense of hopelessness that is hard to overcome. No one can know how you feel. Only you are experiencing your feelings. In the words of Emily Dickenson,
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all

It may take a word, a thought, a touch, to inspire the hope in you or others that is just below the surface waiting for a whisper to help it stir. Search for what helps you to see the possibility for tomorrow for you.

Losing a Friend

lossblog — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:22:27 +0000

Full Moon Friday
Friends so far apart
The phone, the texts, the emails
Can’t satisfy my heart

Separation from, or permanent loss of, a true friend can be a painful experience. A “kindred spirit” is a gift which can provide joy, companionship, support, and validation. Even an argument with a friend or a brief estrangement can be hard to handle. Appreciate your friends and know that if you suffer a loss in the area of friendship it can be difficult to move through.

Job Loss Causes Feelings of Grief

lossblog — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:44:44 +0000

Lots of families out there are experiencing a very important loss right now which is loss of family income. The economic downturn has resulted in changes in many households. Parents are struggling and kids are trying to understand. Access to many of the activities and material possessions have been altered or discontinued. Parents, answer questions as best you can, plan events for the family that bring comfort and closeness, and most important ~ remember when you face the challenges of life you serve as a role model for how kids face them today and down the road.

A safe place for those dealing with losses

lossblog — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:10:53 +0000

When the word grief is mentioned we immediately think that someone has lost a family member or a friend. It is important to remember that we can feel a sense of grief or mourning over both small losses and great losses. Can you remember feeling a serious sense of sadness when plans you have made for the day are changed or cancelled? Recognize the importance of your feelings when change leads to disappointment or a sense of loss.