 by Jan McDaniel
Life must have balance, and never is that more important or more difficult than after loss. I talk and write a lot about healing by taking small steps and establishing a simple path for reaching goals. But sometimes life does these things for us and expects us to follow rather than lead. I changed jobs three months after my husband died and went from being a newspaper reporter covering hard news on the front page above the fold to teaching college English. Other classes were assigned, too, and tutoring duties. One of these classes was a practical life type instruction that covered basic living skills first year students might need to make their transition from high school to college easier. Goal setting, one of the topics, was one of my favorites, and much of what came to me over the years might have been meant to help me make my own transition. No matter where you are in your healing journey, try to make your schedule simple. Include work, but also include time for play and rest. We only heal in the span of a moment. Time might look like it is standing still, but that is an illusion. Work, play, rest. That's not always easy or even possible. But taking one tiny moment at a time can help. Here are a few examples of what I mean. Use them as starts for your day or change the words. What's important is just to begin. *Today, I can take one deep breathe. *I will drink water because my body needs it. *I can hug someone still in my life. *Do I have choices today? *It won't take long to walk around the parking lot at lunch. *Maybe I should call an understanding friend. *It's okay to sit outside this evening and just be still.  Is healing possible? Is it complicated? How do you do it? Take a look at this Photographic Essay and see.  by Jan McDaniel
There are so many things, large and small, that call for our attention. The same is true about our grieving. There are many things to mourn. Even after the initial mourning period and when active grieving has passed, small moments can find those tender places in our hearts and bring the pain there to the surface. One day years ago, while cleaning out my closet, I found a wooden box filled with bits and pieces of my husband’s childhood. Small toys, sticks and rocks, a couple of marbles, stuff a little boy would treasure. My thoughts went like this: How could he leave these? He kept them all those years. How could he leave these … and his books … and us? When you feel like you have walked off the edge of the earth as if it is flat, after all, find an anchor. Connect with someone who understands. In later years, it will be easier to find your footing again when these things happen, believe it or not. At that time, you are ready for more than just enduring and just doing the things that need to be done. You will be ready to return to life. If you have done everything you can but still feel hopeless, keep walking. Keep trying. You will never know how far you can go unless you do. Reach out to someone new. Research support groups, local and online. Flip the situation. Volunteer. Do something nice for someone else. When you are thinking of them, your mind cannot dwell on your own troubles. Talk to God. Then wait. Listen. It is in those quietest moments that you will feel a nudge in the right direction. We are all connected. We are all pieces of each other. It is when we abandon what we think we want – what’s not working – and surrender to being led, that we find we are part of a greater wholeness. At that time, we begin to work the puzzle of life. There is a place for you there. And if you need connection after losing a loved one, there are places for you with people who care, no matter how long it has been since your loss. Click on "Support" at the top of this page to find some.  a message from Jan
Way for Hope's Fall Workshop 2021 Saturday, September 11, 2021 10 am until 12 pm Eastern TimeTelling your own story is one of the fundamental tasks of griefwork and of healing. Join me in a two-hour private workshop conducted entirely on the Way for Hope website and tailored to meet you where you are. This workshop is free. All you need to bring are a notebook and pen (and perhaps a cup of tea). As you work through the material, I will be available to answer questions and read comments on the blog-style webpage. For more information and to register, click here or on the photo above.  by Jan McDaniel
A few years ago, I began to realize I needed to reconcile my old life (before my husband's suicide) with the new one I'm living now. I suppose there is a third time period that must be balanced in this equation, too, and that is the period of six years or more when he was ill and when our lives were changing radically. The "before and after" effect. At first I had to wade through the tasks involved in letting go of his physical presence and of the life we shared … and then there was the process of surviving, healing. That was and is a lengthy process. But I'm finding there are more layers, more hurdles that come after that. No one tells you about those. And I don't think I want to try to live two lives separately anymore. That is too much to carry. What do you do after you survive? To be fair, we are all different and must find out ourselves. But there are still tender places in each heart and life that need patching or evaluating for greater help. Is there a way to get support for that? How can the past integrate successfully into the present and future? How can I find balance? With my husband gone, I find I rely on my sister's advice more and more. And I'm grateful to have her in my life. I'm grateful that she does want the best for me and that knowledge learned from her own life experiences can help me out. In fact, I'm grateful for the process that is reclaiming my life, creating a new me. One thing I found is that I need to be honest with myself about where I am. I'm not where I'm going, and I'm not where I've been. I am no longer desperate for resting spots along the way. But there are questions and emotions that show me there are still problems to face. Some of these are deeply ingrained, hard to find. But I do see that when I face those issues, they are not as insurmountable as they first seem. Maybe that is the key. If you are searching for your new life or just for balance, try these journal prompts. There are no right or wrong answers. Isn't that nice? Journal prompt: Who am I now? Who do I want to be?  by Sandy Walden
Grief. It’s hard. It’s complicated. It’s messy. And so very often there are misunderstandings. I’ve been thinking quite a lot lately about the times of loss and grief that I have experienced. I found myself becoming quite emotional as I considered the death of someone I care about. We did not have a close relationship, though we both tried in our own ways. It was difficult. As they say, it was complicated. When he died, there was almost no support from anyone! Some of the people I would have at least expected to ask how I was doing, never even acknowledged his death or that I might have feelings about this ending. My feelings were so jumbled. Relief that I didn’t have to keep trying to make something work. Sadness that I no longer had the opportunity to build a relationship that was good for both of us. Hurt that these people apparently didn’t care enough about me to even acknowledge that there was a death. Abandoned… didn’t I matter? Now it’s important that I am clear about my own role in all of this ‘stuff’. I’ve always been quite open about joy and excitement, even anger to some extent. However, when it comes to heartache, deep fears, sadness, I’ve usually either kept it to myself or only shared it with the smallest group of people. If I’m being fair, most of those who never acknowledged this loss in any way most likely thought that they were honoring my preference for privacy and independence. Hmmmm,… interesting, isn’t it? At the same time, I found myself considering these people in another way. We have shared many losses and most of them are quite a lot more open about sharing their tears, their ups and downs, and all that brings. They tend to come together and share more with one another than I’ve ever shared with another human being. Truly, stories that I have only shared with my dog! Have they felt supported by me? My way is so very different than theirs; have they known that I cared and tried my best? I don’t know. We are very different people. Always have been and always will be. Having said that, we do care about one another very much. I share this because so often when I work with those who are grieving, they feel sure that others don’t care about them because they are not offering the sort of support that they need. As humans, we often feel as though others ‘should’ know what we want and need. After all, we hurt! Can’t they see that? If we are not feeling support, cared for, it’s another layer of hurt, wounding, grief. Others are likely doing their very best. And most often they are offering what feels right to them and have no way of knowing if it is what you need. The answer? Of course, the answer is more communication. The problem is that sometimes it feels as though we are speaking entirely different languages. I encourage you to keep trying to learn the language of one another. When there has been wounding, as much as possible, make room for the possibility that each of you was doing your best. Make room for forgiveness and healing. You both deserve it. Namaste, Sandy  guest column by Mary Gilzean
It’s been two years, three months since we lost our son, Adam. I’ve spent some time thinking about what has helped me these past two years. Here are 12 things (in no particular order): 1) Supportive people who allow me to cry and express emotions freely. One of the best gifts I received after our son died was from a close friend who showed up on my doorstep with a box of Kleenex. The gesture said it all. 2) One-on-one counseling with an understanding & empathetic therapist (though pricey; she is worth every penny). My husband and I have seen her a couple times a year off and on over the past decade for various reasons. Marital tune-ups, help with a major decision in selling our house/moving to a new city, and most importantly, support in dealing with our son’s mental illness, which emerged in 2015, as well as continued support after his suicide death in May 2019. We met a few days before Adam died, plus the week after. Her assurance that we did everything we could was priceless! Although it still took my heart many months to catch up with my head regarding the guilt battle, her insights and words still resonate with me today. 3) Support groups: I was very lucky to be able to attend a grief group at my church for several months (pre-covid). We went through Alan Wolfelt’s book, Understanding Your Grief: Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart. I highly recommend this book. I also attend meetings with Friends for Survival, a national non-profit that provides peer support and resources to those who have lost someone to suicide. Currently, there are monthly Zoom meetings going on, which are helpful. 4) Books: I've read about 30+ grief-related books, some specifically on suicide loss, others just on general grief. The most helpful were Wolfelt’s book (above); My Son . . . My Son . . .: A Guide to Healing After Death, Loss, or Suicide, by Iris Bolton; I'll Write Your Name on Every Beach: A Mother's Quest for Comfort, Courage and Clarity After Suicide Loss, Susan Auerbach; and A Grace Disguised, by Jerry Sittser. While all the books I read had some “nuggets” of wisdom, these four have underlining and yellow highlighting on just about every page. 5) TedTalks/Other Talks on YouTube: in the first few months after our loss, nighttime was the worst. It was near impossible getting my mind quieted down so I could fall asleep. I found some very helpful TedTalks on grief, as well as other faith-based talks/interviews with individuals who have gone through catastrophic loss. Hearing other people’s stories helped me to know that I'm not alone and gave me much-needed hope. Many nights, I fell asleep to these talks while lying in bed with my iPhone in hand. 6) Music: although I enjoy all genres, faith-based music has been especially helpful (Pandora at home, K-Love in the car). It keeps my mind focused on the positives. 7) Alliance of Hope (AOH): A family member recommended AOH right after Adam died, but it was a couple of months before I began to explore the website and resources. Partly, it was because I was already attending in-person support groups, and partly because there was just so much on the website, I felt overwhelmed. I started with the blog, and eventually landed on the forum. I created a profile, posted on the “Introduce Yourself” link, then got sort of stuck. I kept trying to help welcome others, rather than joining in on the forum links below. I finally settled on two: links “What Helps?” and “Community Connections, For Parents Who Lost Children.” Though there are many other topics I can relate to, I’ve given myself permission to stick with just these two for now. 8) Journaling/Writing: I’ve been a lifelong journaler/writer, so this outlet has been extremely helpful in processing many things, not just loss. From time to time, I revisit my old journals and can see where I’ve been, what progress I’ve made, and identify areas I might still be stuck. A journal can be a great listener, offers zero judgement, and is available 24/7. 9) Spending time in nature: walking, hiking, and visiting the beach have all been very therapeutic. I feel the most connected to Adam when I’m outdoors because he loved nature so much. 10) GriefShare emails: I subscribed to receive daily emails from GriefShare for a year, which provided encouragement and reminders of the recovery process. These emails were very brief, which was nice. 11) Time off from work: three days bereavement leave is certainly NOT adequate for any loss. I used two weeks of sick leave to at least get through the memorial service. Then I had to briefly return to the office. Lucky for me, I only had to be there about three weeks because I had a major surgery scheduled the month after Adam died, so I ended up being off another five weeks post-surgery. During that time of rest, I was able to read, listen to music, cry, and cry some more. 12) Talking about my son with those who knew and loved him.  Calming lavender combined with the pleasing sight of natural wood bring peaceful moments even through a photograph. guest column by Rosemary
I started my aromatherapy journey long before my son died, but I was grateful I had something to "throw myself into" when I was really lost. Not only did I find it creative, stimulating, lovely to smell but also realized that these essential oils work well especially with some issues in my experience. I became certified through a 300 hours course and then continued learning on my own. My friends and family regularly use aromatherapy now. I can recommend Aromahead Institute which has some free classes to get started and peak interest. https://www.aromahead.com/courses/introduction-essential-oils It's also interesting to read about the oils so you know what they are used for. There are so many of them and blending them can really increase their benefits. Note from Jan: Thank you, Rosemary, for sharing your journey with us. There are so many ways to find bits of peace that can help, even a little, after losing a loved one. The challenges are realizing this can happen and thinking of what to explore. If you are reading this blog post and would like to share something that helped you through grief, contact Way for Hope here. Your ideas may be shared in a future column to bring hope to someone in pain.  by Jan McDaniel The truth is grief is different for everyone but, in general, the pain of loss will be with you for some time to come. How could it not be? Loving someone is an investment of the heart. When that someone dies, the heart hurts and hurts badly. However, moments of healing begin almost immediately. It is difficult to see them at first, but they are there and will be a comfort as time goes by. Look for them. Knit them together until they begin to fill the ragged holes that have been torn in the fabric of your life. How? Seek support. Talk to people who understand. Rest when you need to rest, and stay active when you can. Find positive things to do, even if they don't seem to matter much. And take very good care of yourself. Eat healthy foods, and drink plenty of water. This is a good time of year to start a gratitude journal. What are you thankful for today? Something so small as a warm bed can bring a touch of strength to your heart. A neighbor's smile. A card in the mail. A cup of coffee or hot tea while watching a cardinal outside the window. Give gratitude. Do something for someone else to make both of you feel better. Make an appointment with yourself to grieve. Maybe you can think of a few other things when you know you have a set time and place to address your darkest thoughts and pain. All of these can be subjects of prayer. Treat yourself gently, and trust that you will feel better. Healing is possible. That does not mean letting go of the love we have for those no longer with us. It means nourishing that love and carrying it forward into a life that is worthy, that is lived in memory of someone very dear. - from Way for Hope's Q&A Series (2019)
 by Jan McDaniel
Sleep. We need it, especially after loss, but rest is often elusive. The stillness of night does not bring stillness when the mind is filled with turmoil and worry, thoughts of not only the loss but also circumstances that resulted. We miss someone. The nervous system is on hyper-alert, with anxiety and perhaps depression adding to the melee. Too often, this is a time of pain, not peace. If sleep does come, it may have a nightmarish quality. Certainly, a second or two after waking - whether in the middle of the night or the morning - the harsh realizations begin, sliding over a new survivor mercilessly. Everything we don't want is there waiting. It often takes a lot of time to find real rest again. The journey that began with the loss of a loved one is not a quick trip. It is no wonder that survivors who are left behind lose strength, become exhausted, eat little or too much, or begin to suffer health problems. From shock to the grinding period of dealing with the aftermath to the early stages of finding support and healing, a survivor's work is just to breathe, to do what must be done. Here are a few suggestions that might help ease the nighttime hours, for sleep is important to both healing and health:
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Way for Hope
My name is Jan McDaniel. I speak grief. I also speak peace and healing. I started A Way for Hope blog and website to house projects I create that might help others who are grieving. The blog has expanded to include guest posts by my dear friends and fellow survivors who wanted to speak hope for others, too.
We understand how difficult losing someone you love is. We know how much it means to hear from others further along on this journey and how it is possible to live a life of happiness and joy even while still remembering and honoring those we love. Recommended:Looking for books on grief and healing?
Find Way for Hope's Reading List here. Follow us on Instagram!
As you face the autumn season, know that you are not alone. Look for others who care. Let them know how you feel. Spend time in natural surroundings and allow the peace of the growing world to comfort you.
Watch an interview with Jan here.
Sample Posts by Topic:
Finding purpose Helping children grieve Formula for healing Healing Meditation Tears Changes Understanding Acceptance Please read my
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