A common belief is that grief and bereavement kill all happiness. People who go through tragedy simply cannot be happy, right? I think that might be true for the darkest time after tragedy. I don’t want to put a length on this timeframe because this might feel different for everyone. This is a time when ...

Ever since we started this blog I have been following the many great initiatives that are happening right now to bring attention to the topic of losing a child, in particular stillbirth. It seems like all pieces are coming together to really make a difference. Many people who have lost a child seem to have ...

For the past hour I have tried to write a post about Mother’s Day. I have started and deleted my words. I considered writing about the commercialization of the event and the loss of the true meaning, about why the day might unintentiously feel exclusive to a lot of women, about the origins of the ...

After other parents recommended the book “The year of magical thinking” by Joan Didion, I got it from the library and started reading it. Some of her insights are really fascinating to read. Today I came across this passage. Joan is quoting from Emily Post’s 1922 book of etiquette, Chapter XXIV, Funerals: “Persons under the ...

Every day I am learning more about the constant companion grief. Sometimes there are revelations. I recently recognized that grief is like an armory, maybe even an arsenal. It can be a weapon, like a sword it can hurt and drive people away in fear. Or it can be a shield that I can wrap ...

“How do you start dying all the while trying to make sure that it is the living who will be okay?” This is a quote from Shane Koyczan from a poem he read at a Canuck Place Gala. I encourage you to watch the video. It is just 7 minutes long, but reveals volumes of ...

Many bereaved parents seem to experience the same thing: after they lose a child, their social life changes significantly. And I am not simply talking about going into hiding, avoiding groups of people or staying away from fun events and activities. This is likely true for anyone who grieves the loss of a loved one. ...