by Yvonne Ortega | Jun 25, 2018 | Grief
Good Grief! (Pun intended) I wish someone had warned me. Maybe no one knew, or perhaps I wouldn’t have heard. In case you ever need to know, here are two words to remember after you’ve lost a loved one—”three months.” The three-month anniversary of a loss feels...
by Yvonne Ortega | Jun 5, 2018 | Grief
Comfort choices. With so many comfort choices before you, what will you choose and why? When I miss my late mother, I might make popcorn the old-fashioned way on the stove. Mom used to make popcorn in the evening, and we would play Scrabble®. I miss Mom and that...
by Yvonne Ortega | May 8, 2018 | Grief
“I thought you were on your way back home,” I said to my younger brother on the phone. We were both out of state for Dad’s funeral. “I was, but I received a call from the bank.” He paused, and continued, “I had a choice: stay longer and stop there to do more paperwork...
by Yvonne Ortega | May 1, 2018 | Grief
Gain perspective? Why would a bereaved person consider that? What good would it do to gain perspective? The Compassionate Friends to Gain Perspective After the loss of my only child, I felt alone. I didn’t think anyone could understand me or my pain until I went to a...
by Yvonne Ortega | Apr 17, 2018 | Grief
Alone and lonely? What can you do? The Wednesday after Easter, my phone rang about 9:00 pm, and I heard my brother say two words, “Dad passed.” Shock overwhelmed me. My last living parent was unexpectedly gone. He had been smiling, joking, and suddenly stopped...
by Yvonne Ortega | Feb 19, 2018 | Grief
Another school shooting! What possible good can come from it? What can you say to the grieving families, staff, and students at Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida? What can you say to the grieving couple, Kim and James Snead, who took in Cruz after his adoptive...
