Hi, my name is Jennifer!  I was at a family funeral this past weekend for my aunt Mary!  The women in the picture,next to my name!  She passed away January 19th, 2012!  She died from Parkinson's disease, and had been battling this for 20yrs.  She was the epitome, of a nuturing, gentle, kind spiritual women,of whom loved her children, and husband. She touched the lives of all of whom she knew.  The day of her funeral, oddly enough was like a double edged sword, as it marked 10months to the…

My wife and I moved out to BC in 2007 so I could take a new job.  That's where and when I met Denise.

Now, I'm going to be up-front here.  My marriage has been rocky for years, and I probably never should have gotten married to my wife in the first place.  So, having said that...

Denise and I started what would commonly be called an "affair", but it grew into so much more.  My wife did strongly suspect, and it almost tore what remained of the marriage apart.  At…

Saturday morning I was flipping stations on Sirius radio when I discovered a conversation discussing a book about grief. Amy Welborn’s husband had died from a heart attack and she subsequently wrote, Wish You Were Here: Travels Through Loss and Hope.

I didn’t hear anything earth shattering in the conversation until she said that she believes this life, the one we are experiencing here on earth, is “incomplete” because we experience so much loss in this life.…

I wonder if any...or how many americans realize that if a person in america murders someone else, murders one or murders ten human beings, or more...100  human beings, that, if that murderer is a person under the age of 18 years old, they will see the light of day, in other words, they will get out of prison, assuming they are even convicted of the crime...in 30 years....how is this justice people...tell me!!!…

Sometimes, not always, but sometimes I feel that I let him down.  When I got that phone call, I was literally physically passing the hospital to pick him up at his school.  Why do I feel this way?  My answer, to me, is that Tim called out to me to come get him.  My friends, family, priest, and therapist all tell me I should not feel this way...and that to feel this way is normal with any grieving parent.  I get reminded that it’s a loving parent that will die protecting his or her child - I…

I am Jennifer Branscum from Ky and me and my husband had a baby girl that he always wanted Jan15th 2011 and the she passed away from SIDS on May 15th 2011 the day she turned 4 months old and a year before that my sister had a premature son who came home and lived 36 days I did cpr om both my babies and it was so hard for me to realize that this had happened in our family twice.But before I get into that I got my tubes tied after I gave birth to our only child together and now to have my…

A member of my community died last week. The death was sudden and unexpected and the bereaved were overwhelmed. There were so many people who attended the reception after the funeral that they couldn’t fit into the home. I couldn’t help but wonder how many of those people will be around to comfort the bereaved when real mourning occurs in the weeks and months ahead.



We’re often…

It is said that in order to heal from the pain of grief, we must grow beyond our loved one’s presence in our life and that this means we leave behind the life we once had and move forward to create a new one. It's true that we find our lives have been changed and we will never be the same person we once were. However, we do not heal from leaving our loved ones behind. We heal from bringing them with us. 

Some people are afraid that in moving forward, they…

Q. I want to set up a lasting memorial to my late husband, but my funds are limited. Can you suggest some affordable options? How do I get started?



Two possibilities are a scholarship in his name at a school he attended or a memorial award to go to a deserving member of his professional organization. The amount involved and whether it’s given annually (or less frequently) is up to you. Start by contacting the institution or group and ask to speak with the person…

I once heard Dick Clark say that we each have a soundtrack to our lives. Recently, I’ve been listening to the “'80s on the 8” station on Sirius-XM radio and letting those songs take me back in time to a different point in my life (with '80s music, that mostly means high school).

Just as songs can transport us to a different time and place, they can remind us of our loved ones and the bond we still share with them. Hearing a special song can spark memories and…

 My Uncle Bill was the only person I asked if I could call him "Dad."  He was a good man, a U.S. Marine during WWII and came home with shell shock - the same thing I've been diagnosed with after 31 years in Law Enforcement and 20 years in the military reservives.  He passed 1/15/12 from the same illness that took my mother in 1990.  I miss him terribly although we hadn't had much communition lately.  He was still more of a father than my own (and he had lots of kids himself with my Aunt, my…

My son died on Dec 22, 2011. He was 23 1/2 years old.  The war on Drugs is the victor of this battle.  I know Heiron is the cause of death on the certificate.  I am in the stage of grief where I am asking what could I have done differently.  I know that even if I figure something out, he is gone forever.  It hurts so much.  For the last four years Scott was in and out of jail and rehabs. He was released on Dec. 19, 2011.  He lied and said he wouldn't be released until Dec 21. He called me on…

I lost my husband of 29 years in July 2009.  Fifteen months before that, ironically, I had started a company called Shine On Brightly. It's an online gallery for memorial art (cremation urns, memorial portraits, memorial jewelry, etc.). After I experienced the loss of my husband, I really understood the need to honor the life of a loved one. Since I've been passionate about art all my life, I've found art to be an incredibly…

 Most of MY MARLYS ANN conversations still linger in my heart, that over 54 years of wonderous talks, we as marriage partners enjoyed.  Of course, the most enjoyment was our 4 beautiful children, their years of growing up, are still a photo within my mind, as planted by MY MARLYS, HER MOST PRECIOUS GIFT TO ME, HER AND MY CHILDREN.

My tears of Marlys passing last Apri1 26, 2011, at our home, are still good for my soul, don't you all know! They still wash away the "blues" and sadness…

Every time I want to send a message it won't send. I don't want the people Who I talked to think I'm ingoring them cause I'm not.

What am I doing wrong.

When I moved here from Boston, I did so with a heavy heart. I felt as though I were leaving a very important part of me behind. The feeling lingers. However as I was helping my brother unpack and organize I came across a battered copy of Executive Orders, by Tom Clancy. On the opening page there is a poem that served to remind me that I left nothing behind. It is called “Ascension” by Colleen Hitchcock. Perhaps it can help to remind others as it has helped…

Oh sorry About that, the 4th anniversary of my Mother is January 18th. She passed 6 months after my wife.
(the Rock of my life since my father died when I was 7 and was disabled after a major stroke when I was 2)

Rose, it's almost the anniversary of Moms passing into Gods Hands and although you were sniped at for driving slow and weaving (she wasn't supposed to be driving) I and Mom appreciate you visiting her after her cognitive damage after her Epidural Hematoma.

When my mother had a fall and was taking blood thinners for prior strokes when she went to the North Central Baptist Hospital in San Antonio they triaged her and sent into the waiting room...3 hours later my mother said her last…

I really feel as though something has broken in my brain. I've told my head Dr. about this and she said its PTSS and severe trauma from loosing so many family members. I've lost 2 husbands from illness, my mom from suiside and my brother for a needle stuck in his arm with drugs. With the passing of this last husband I've never seen anything more horrible ever in my life. He weighed 68 lbs when he passed. It was like a horror movie and I  can't get that vision out of my my head at night when…