I believe that we are all here for a reason. Some are born to greatness. Some are born to validate beliefs. Some are born to be part of a group effort of some kind. Everyone has value. My cousin Johnny died this week. He's always been one of my favorite cousins. Quiet strength, shy smile, great sense of humor. He was a good man. He was a good husband, father, grandfather and friend. I will never forget him. I will never forget the time his mom dumped a bowl of cooked carrots

"Only the Lonely..." and "What becomes of the broken hearted? Who have love that is now departed?" Those songs were spot on for me. What about you? I was just reading an article that suggests that the risk for heart attack or stroke goes up during the first few weeks of bereavement. "Our study shows the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke doubles in the crucial 30-day period after a partner's death for those experiencing loss of a loved one," said study co-author Sunil S

The light at the end of the tunnel could be a train...or could it be progress? I guess it depends on your perspective. I was emptying yet another box (seems like hundreds since we moved a few months ago). It must be progress though because there is only about 20 boxes left to go through. In this particular box I found a file with a sheet of paper entitled "Tasks of Grief" written by a psychologist by the name of J. William Worden. I found it interesting. It gave me something