A Mother’s Day Tragedy and a Birth-Death Day Celebration

Annah ElizabethFamily, Gavin, Loss, Grief, and Healing, Parenting2 Comments

Dear Neighbor, Twenty-eight years ago, a miracle happened when a child was born. When you think about everything that must occur prior to any birth, the precise nature of so many scientific details, every delivery is miraculous. When I began writing this post, I realized that twenty-eight years ago, at the exact same hour, I was timing and logging contractions … Read More

Ask Annah: I’m Afraid My Deceased Loved One Will Be Forgotten. How Do I Prevent That?

Annah ElizabethAsk Annah, Loss, Grief, and Healing, Mental Health, RelationshipsLeave a Comment

Dearest Neighbor, This is one of the greatest fears The Living have following the death of a loved one, especially an unexpected or “untimely” death. Widows and Widowers. Loss Mamas, Papas, and Siblings. “Orphaned” children. [Insert your whatever.] We lament what will never be. “Lost time.” Things that “should be” but never will be. We have this sense of how … Read More

Ask Annah: Why Do Friendships Change After a Significant Loss?

Annah ElizabethAsk Annah, Family, Loss, Grief, and Healing, RelationshipsLeave a Comment

“Friendships are discovered rather than made.” ~ Harriett Beecher Stowe Dear Journeyer, “Why do friendships change after a significant loss?” is a question and conversation I hear regularly from people of all ages and across all loss forms. If you have discovered that your relationships with friends or family feel strange or estranged since a Significant Life Loss Event entered … Read More

Ask Annah: Why Do I Feel Worse 2-3 Years after My Significant Life Loss Event

Annah ElizabethAsk Annah, Loss, Grief, and Healing, Mental Health2 Comments

Dear Journeyer, I am often asked some variation of this question: “It’s been three years since my child/parent/sibling/spouse/best friend died and I feel worse now than I did when it happened. What is wrong with me?” Though this query often references the death of a person, I have also heard it with regard to other forms of loss, including but … Read More