April is always one of the bigger months for me in terms of grieving the loss of my father. The month starts with his birthday, which is followed shortly by Opening Day for Major League Baseball and then Easter. All of these dates remind me so much of him and the traditions he loved to follow. He especially enjoyed celebrating birthdays, including his own. On the morning of his birthday, he used to stop by a local bakery to pick up treats to ...
Moving On After Losing a Loved One to Suicide
I wanted to share the opening letter from the August LOSS (Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide) support group newsletter. It hit home with me as I know it was difficult for me to see other people around me move on pretty fast after my Dad died. I thought others might be able to benefit from this reflection about moving on after losing a loved one to suicide. I remember how upset I'd be when people would say, weeks and months after my Dad's ...
What Does it Mean to be a Survivor of Suicide?
Throughout my life, I’ve been defined as a daughter, a sister, a wife, a friend - and today, a survivor of suicide. The latter is one descriptor I never even knew existed, let alone thought I’d take on until two years ago. In the wee hours following my father’s death in August 2011, unable to sleep, I took to my computer, looking for support, for answers. While the city and world around me was resting quietly, I was grasping for anything that ...