Many survivors of suicide loss find ways to honor the spirit and "presence" of their loved one through sentimental objects, events or symbols. Guest author and teacher Kimberly Starr offers one of those examples she experiences since losing her son Tom.
My Life is a Tragicomedy
In the last ten minutes or so of a recent Drama 101 class, we were discussing genres of plays. I defined tragedies for my class and shared with them some examples. ...
What They Don’t See; The Realities of a Suicide Loss
This week we share a post from Sharon, who writes about the realities of suicide loss after losing her son. What people see on the outside is often not congruent with what we feel on the inside. They don't see what happens when the doors close, and the realities of our loss sink in. Know that you are not alone; there are (sadly) so many who understand your journey. We hope this week's post helps you feel a little more understood.
The other ...
When Feeling Right, Feels So Wrong
We all pray for that moment, the moment when our loved ones suicide no longer occupies every minute of our day. Yet when it happens, we often experience an overwhelming amount of guilt. This guilt feels different from the guilt that remains after someone ends their life. We want to feel better; yet feeling right, often feels so wrong.
If you haven't experienced a suicide, you simply can't understand. Everyone tells you that your loved one ...
When Grief Hits at the Most Unexpected Time
So there I was, in the middle of a restaurant, crying on the shoulder of a dear friend who also lost her father to suicide. I just love when grief hits at the most unexpected time (insert sarcastic emoji here). I have to say, it has been years since I've found myself crying in the middle of a public place. This December will mark seven years since my dad took his life. I have found a great deal of healing on my journey. Of course I still miss ...
Finding Purpose After a Suicide Loss
Recently, we posted about moving beyond why,where we talked about the task of finding purpose after a loss by suicide. A reader of ours, Michelle Hill, did her own reflection after reading the piece. Michelle lost her son Marcus to suicide 3 1/2 years ago, and has continued to work on finding her purpose. To me, finding our purpose is a lifelong task, and it changes over time. Be gentle to yourself on your journey and acknowledge that purpose ...