Table of Contents
1|∼Oh, How It Hurts∼
1 Writing Through the Aftermath Bob Thurber 1
2 Intersection of Grief Stephanie Tolliver Hyman 5
3 My Breath Stops Short Trish L. 9
4 Lost Bracha Goetz 12
5 Grief Tantrum Jennifer Stults 13
6 The Reality of Grief Mackenzie Gambrill 16
7 The Monty Dinner Sheila Roe 19
8 Losing My Words Evelyn Krieger 22
9 I Was Somebody's Sister Jamie Korf 26
2 ∼Saying Goodbye∼
10 The Truest Thing Raymond M. Wong 30
11 Packing Up a Life Aimee C. Trafton 32
12 Watching Over Me Deborah Shouse 34
13 The Day Basil Died Julie Stielstra 37
14 Joy Amidst the Sorrow, Beth Cato 41
15 Finding Our Beat Nicholas R. 44
16 The Golden Years Diane Helmken MacLachlan 49
17 Laughter at a Funeral Melissa B. Mork 52
18 Gone Too Soon Rachel Chustz 55
19 White Shirt Angela Larks 59
20 Ashes to Ashes Deb Gorman 62
3 ∼Let It Out∼
21 Turning Point Miriam Van Scott 67
22 A Hallmark Story Mariah E. Julio 70
23 Contingency Plans Susan Evans 74
24 Not So Strong Robin D. Hamilton 78
25 A Different Me B.J. Taylor 80
26 My Pretend Happy Face Diane Stark 83
27 Freedom to Feel John Kevin Allen 87
28 Grieving My Ordinary Life DaNice D. Marshall 90
4 ∼The New Normal∼
29 The Presence of Absence Barbara Rady Kazdan 94
30 I Choose Joy Diane Rumbo 98
31 What I've Learned Gail Nehamen 101
32 My Husband Died, But I'm No Widow Pamela Jane 103
33 Erasers and Stars Patti Santucci 105
34 Grief Grows Up Nancy Burrows 109
35 Losses and Labels Ava Pennington 113
36 A New Home Tonya May Avent 116
37 The Day I Became the Spider Killer Christine Malone 119
5 ∼Honoring and Remembering∼
38 Welcome Back Kathy Humenik 122
39 Graying Memories Maegann Mansfield 125
40 The Last Game Nick Kachulis 129
41 Relief Not Grief Mary Lee Moynan 134
42 Remembering His Name Shannon Kernaghan 137
43 It's Yesterday Once More Kate Fellowes 140
44 Cemetery Celebration Sara Matson 143
45 Show Me the Love Sue-Ellen Sanders 145
46 Hummingbird Florence Niven 148
47 Love, Life, and Lemon Pie Toya Qualls-Barnette 151
48 Light It Up Blue for Jake Charlotte Louise Nystrom 154
6 ∼Moving Forward∼
49 The Phone Call That Changed My Life Denise R. Fuller 158
50 Choosing Life Amanda Gist 161
51 The Shed Linda C. Olaveson 165
52 Beauty in the Brokenness Mark Mason 168
53 Muted Joy Christy Heitger-Ewing 171
54 Lost & Found Marianne Fosnow 174
55 Grief Is Not Just for Humans Kathryn Hackett Bales 176
56 A Time to Move On Tim Martin 179
57 Second Sunrise Sarah Barnum 182
58 How to Breathe Kerri Davidson 186
7 ∼It Takes a Village∼
59 The Pink Shoe Natasha Lidberg 191
60 Paisley Beth Bullard 194
61 Mirror Image Susan Evans 197
62 What Remains Anne Oliver 200
63 A Shared Grief Julie Cole 202
64 Angel on a Park Bench Marianne Simon 204
65 A Silent Partner Cynthia Mendenhall 207
66 Gary and the Bear Tammy Parker 209
67 Finding the Unfindable Shannon Stocker 213
8 ∼Words of Wisdom∼
68 Gift Horse Wayne Rapp 218
69 Just Take My Hand Katy Ryan 222
70 How to Survive the Death of a Spouse Sally Jadlow 226
71 The Mirror of Death John Stevens 229
72 Bittersweet Loretta D. Schoen 232
73 When the Fairytale Ending No Longer Exists Beth Saadati 234
74 Missing Aunt Mae C. Manzo Nicoletta 237
75 Plain Ol' Ted Michelle Close Mills 240
76 The Hug Mary Ellen Angelscribe 245
9 ∼Finding New Purpose∼
77 Before & After Andrea Peebles 248
78 The Memory Garden Monica A. Andermann 252
79 Shocked into Silence Marcia McGreevy Lewis 255
80 A Source of Comfort Rita Plush 258
81 The Only Way to Find It Kayleen Kitty Holder 261
82 Am I Still His Mother? Luanne Tovey 264
83 An Unexpected Day of Feasting Marlys Johnson Lawry 267
84 The House Kim Johnson 270
85 Dancing Back to Life Queen Lori 274
10 ∼Love That Doesn't Die∼
86 My January Gardenia Nancy Emmick Panko 278
87 Special Delivery Joyce R. Kebodeaux 280
88 Friday the 13th D.J. Sartell 283
89 A Parting Gift Dave Bachmann 285
90 Eternity Is in Our Nature Camille Dan 288
91 Rituals Jan Bono 292
92 For the Dead Ed Meek 294
93 Roses in Winter Christine Trollinger 295
11 ∼Creative Coping∼
94 The Magic in Christmas Photos R'becca Groff 299
95 Gone Fishin' Laura Lewis 302
96 No Laughing Matter Nikki Campo 304
97 The Ring Kim Kluxen Meredith 307
98 A Promise for Someday Capi Cloud Cohen 311
99 Lucky Dog Lou Zywicki Prudhomme 314
100 Brushstrokes of Comfort Patricia Ann Rossi 318
101 Tabi Rocks Michele Boom 321
Meet Our Contributors 325
Meet Amy Newmark 339
