Loving and then “letting go” is one of the toughest lessons I’ve ever faced in my life. But it’s a lesson every one of us confronts at some time. Most relationships are limited in time; People die. Pets die. People leave. Sometimes pets are given away because they elicit allergies. Grown children move away…. We […]

“How did you possibly get over the death of your sister when you didn’t even know what happened to her,” asks my husband who, along with our two children and I, is grieving over the recent mysterious injuries that led to the death of our family cat, Tiger. “We don’t know if Tiger was hit […]

Do we want him cremated? Or do we want the clinic to dispose of his remains? No. We want to take him home and let the children say goodbye and bury him in the back yard. Through teary eyes we wrap Tiger’s lower body in a bag and securely tape it around his tummy. (Sometimes […]

When we picked up our white and orange kitten, Tiger, our hearts swelled. For nine months we played with him and loved him and watched him grow—A deep bond took root. He was so smart, so funny, and so loving. Many times he went in and out of the house during the day but he […]

I Wish I wish you hadn’t died this way. I wish you could have stayed. I wish there was another way I could have eased your pain. I never will forget your love. I wish that you could know How much my heart is aching so, Because you had to go. Within the stillness of […]

This is for the mothers who: —Have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer Wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, “It’s okay honey, Mommy’s here.” —Have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can’t be comforted. —Show up at work with […]

As I hugged a dear friend at her mother’s funeral, with tears in her eyes she said to me, “I wish you could have known her.” Oh, but I do know her! I know her because I know the woman she raised. The one who passionately lives life, who gives without wanting to receive, the […]

“Yes, many of us have lost loved ones to cancer. And when we ourselves have it, those deaths are a flash of our own mortality from the disease. My first grandchild was born yesterday. Will I see her grow up to experience life? I have decided that my path through cancer has helped me to […]

Life Thief Cancer illness mourning, grief funeral hearse life thief grave site burial, rain children, tears agony, pain goodbye mother mourning, grief damn cancer, life thief -Angela Barker – Melanie Hack Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend Read an excerpt now TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James

One year I called on a woman on my child’s soccer team who had buried her mother who died of cancer the month before. I didn’t really know her that well and felt a little awkward dropping by so early on a Sunday as I was heading out for my daily walk in nature. But […]