Articles by Gary Roe

What will 2021 hold for us who are grieving?

I don't know about you, but I'm glad to see 2020 disappearing into my rear view mirror. 2020 was a year of profound, debilitating grief. The sheer amount of change was stunning and crippling. For those of us who lost family members or friends, COVID added a thick,...

My Christmas Holiday Wish for Grieving Hearts…

Christmas is upon us. It's no secret the holiday season is extremely difficult for those of us who are grieving. Thinking back... This year has been tumultuous. We all want to see 2020 disappearing in our rear view mirror. We've lost so much. The losses of 2020 have...

Wishing You a Peaceful Thanksgiving

This has been a tough year. We've lost so much. Our lives have been upended. Our routines and expectations have been throttled. Our sense of safety and security has taken a hit. We've lost people who are dear to us. Our hearts have been rattled and wounded. Many of us...

When Everything Reminds You of Your Loss

When we're grieving, we seem to bump into a reminder of our loss with every step. This article, taken from Comfort for the Grieving Parent's Heart, talks about the shock, pain, and frustration we experience when the world reminds us of our loss. Widowed spouses see...

When you long to hear their voice…

When a loved one departs, we miss their hearing their voice. As we go through our days, there may be times when we can swear we hear them calling us. Our hearts can still hear and see them. This post, taken from Comfort for the Grieving Parent's Heart, delves into...

When Loss Leads to Spiritual Fatigue and Numbness

Loss hits us on every level. The grief journey is exhausting. Spiritual fatigue and numbness can set in. The following article is adapted from Shattered: Surviving the Loss of a Child. No matter what your loss, chances are you can relate to much of the following......

What to do when Grief Paralysis strikes

Loss strikes the heart. The resulting grief can feel paralyzing at times. This post, adapted from the book Aftermath: Picking Up the Pieces After a Suicide, tells the tale many of us are familiar with - feeling stunned and stuck. No matter what your loss might be,...

“It’s Not Getting Any Easier!”

The grief process is an exhausting marathon. One loss often leads to another, and then another. This post, taken from Heartbroken: Healing from the Loss of a Spouse, talks about the ongoing, frustrating pressure many grieving hearts feel. No matter what your loss,...

Is Busy-ness a Healthy Grief Coping Strategy?

Some of us become hyper-busy after a loss. Is busy-ness a healthy coping strategy for grieving hearts? This post, adapted from the book Aftermath: Picking Up the Pieces After a Suicide, digs into this issue. Whatever your loss, chances are you've run up against this...

Heartbroken – a New Edition is Coming…

My book Heartbroken: Healing from the Loss of a Spouse is now five years old. This fact, along with our August focus on Honoring Widowed Spouses, led me to pull Heartbroken from the shelf and give it a once over. I thought, "You know what? This book could use some...