Life After Loss
Being Childless On Mother’s Day
By: Amy Lied My first Mother’s Day without Asher was only 3 months after he died. That day was soul-crushing, to say the least. I was a mother but the child who gave me that title, wasn’t here to celebrate with me. Throughout the day, I tried to avoid social media, but when deep in…
Read MoreA Bereaved Mom is a Real Mom
By: Paige Sanderson Breakfast in bed, a card signed “Love, Mike and Holden,” and a picture of flowers created by Holden’s perfect little handprints. That’s what I was hoping my first Mother’s Day would be like. After all, it’s what I’ve been waiting for my whole life. A mom’s first Mother’s Day is supposed to…
Read MoreBooks To Comfort Your Heart: A Quarantine Reading List
Losing a baby can be a lonely, isolating experience, and unless one has known someone who had such a loss, it is easy to feel as if no one understands what you are experiencing. For those who are grieving the death of their baby, the right books can help you process the loss. Different types…
Read MoreA Brief Life But One of Love
By: Anna Eastland I recently attended a celebration of life for a baby boy who lived for one month. His name was Matthew. He had the genetic defect Trisomy 18, so it was actually a miracle he lived that long. Before the funeral Mass, his mother, Maggie, got up and spoke in front of the…
Read MoreArtwork on the Refrigerator
By: Amy Lied This piece of paper covered in scribbles is something I’ve longed to have on my fridge for years. I use to go over to my friend’s homes and see their child’s daycare artwork hanging there and stare longingly at it. I ached to have art on my fridge from my child. Each…
Read MoreNo One Really Understands What It Means To Be A Loss Mother
By: Ashley Bonebrake Fairchild Now, don’t get me wrong, I feel incredibly blessed in my life. I have my health and the health of my husband and living daughter. I love them with the fierceness of a lioness and always will. I thank my lucky stars for them every single day. No matter how bad…
Read MoreGrieving Now and Grieving Then
By: Brooke Taylor Duckworth I studied Victorian literature in graduate school, and alongside the novels I read, I learned a great deal about culture in Victorian England. Nineteenth-century Britain was fascinating to me—particularly in all of its contrast with our contemporary society. The strictly gendered spheres for men and women, the uncomfortable clothing, the formal…
Read MoreA Celebration of Life
By: Nikki Grayson Colorful flowers float down the river as we say our goodbyes to my Grandpa Dave at his farm. It’s a cold day in November, family and friends have gathered together to celebrate the life he lived. A few short months before he died, he told me where he wanted his ashes spread…
Read MoreLet’s Stop Saying “At Least”
By: Amy Lied When someone you love dies, it seems to be fairly customary to express your sympathies followed by some platitude to attempt to lessen the griever’s pain. This is where the “at-least” statements come into play. A few of my favorites after my son died were: “I’m so sorry for your loss.”…
Read MoreWork In Process: Healing After the Loss of My Baby
By: Robyn Busekrus The phrase, “Work in Progress,” has been one that I have heard frequently quoted. Work in process I like better, since healing is a process that progresses. When I think of where I am today, I am a healing work in process. I don’t think I will be whole again. However, I…
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