by Gary Roe | Anxiety, Death and dying, Decision-making, Emotional pain, Families and grief, Family relationships, Fatigue and Exhaustion, Grief and Loss, Grief recovery, Holiday grief, Hope, Loss of a Child, Loss of a friend, Loss of a parent, Loss of a sibling, loss of a spouse, Stress Management
One Sunday afternoon during the holidays, I ran into Chris and Karen in the grocery store. They seemed to be moving in slow motion, shuffling their feet and staring blankly ahead. I was almost on top of them before they noticed me. They looked exhausted. “Hey guys....
by Gary Roe | Anxiety, Death and dying, Faith, Fear, Grief and Loss, Healing from the past, Hospice stories, Loneliness, Peace, Physical illness, Purpose and meaning, Relationships, Stress Management, Suffering and Pain
We’re made for relationship. No wonder loss hurts. It crushes our hearts. As a hospice chaplain, I believe one of our greatest fears is feeling alone, left behind, or abandoned. I’ve felt it myself, and I’ve heard it from the hearts of hundreds of others. Steven’s...
by Gary Roe | Anger management, Anxiety, Depression, divorce recovery, Emotional pain, Families and grief, Family relationships, Forgiveness, Grief and Loss, Grief recovery, Loss of a Child, Loss of a friend, Loss of a parent, Loss of a sibling, loss of a spouse, Purpose and meaning, Relationships, Sadness, Spiritual suffering, Stress Management, Suffering and Pain, Suicidal thoughts
When loss hits, our world changes. This includes our relationships. People around us tend to over-promise but under-deliver in terms of supporting us in meaningful ways. This leads to more loss. From the Grieving Heart: This would be easier if it weren’t...
by Gary Roe | Anxiety, Death and dying, Depression, Emotional pain, Families and grief, Family relationships, Forgiveness, Grief and Loss, Grief recovery, Guilt, Regret, Sadness, Teen Grief
The following is adapted from the 2018 Book Excellence Award Winner, Teen Grief: Caring for the Grieving Teenage Heart. Grief often comes laden with guilt. You’ll be able to relate, even if you don’t have teens. In times of loss, teens can see themselves...
by Gary Roe | Anxiety, Depression, divorce recovery, Emotional pain, Fatigue and Exhaustion, Fear, Grief and Loss, Grief recovery, Guilt, Honesty and Transparency, Loneliness, Loss of a Child, Loss of a friend, Loss of a parent, Loss of a sibling, loss of a spouse, Sadness, Self-destructive behaviors, Spiritual questioning, Spiritual suffering, Suffering and Pain, Suicidal thoughts, Worry
Loss is stunning. At some point in the grief process, most people feel a little unhinged or like they are going crazy. From the Grieving Heart: I’m forgetting things. Appointments. Where I put my car keys. What I came into the room for. I’m losing...
by Gary Roe | Anxiety, Death and dying, divorce recovery, Emotional pain, Families and grief, Fatigue and Exhaustion, Grief and Loss, Grief recovery, Loss of a Child, Loss of a friend, Loss of a parent, Loss of a sibling, loss of a spouse, Physical symptoms, Sadness, Suffering and Pain
Loss stuns us. How could this happen? They were just here. From the Grieving Heart: How could this happen? This can’t be real. You’re going to walk through that door any moment, I just know it. The tears start to flow. They morph into sobs. I can...
