Dear Mom, When you died unexpectedly in 1992, I was heartbroken, not even sure I could continue. You were my rock, my strength when I was afraid; you offered hope in dark moments. I wasn’t ready for you to leave. Suddenly I was an orphan, alone in a frightening world. I needed you, but you…
“I just wanted to say to anyone whose mom has died that it’s hard. It’s really, really hard.” – Jimmy Fallon Helen Fernald, Wolfeboro photographer, writer and grief recovery mentor lost her mother very suddenly at the age of forty. Helen was heartbroken. Then she began writing letters to her mother. Eight years later she…
By Helen Fernald Have you ever lost someone who meant the world to you? When that person died, were you unsure you could go on? Perhaps it was a family member, your best friend, or your partner. It doesn’t matter. Did she die unexpectedly? Maybe he died after a long and agonizing illness. Whether we…
Dear Charlie, I miss you. I miss our Saturday calls. I miss your laughter. I miss you! We were lucky to have you in our family. You knew us all very well. You would spend an entire year going to book sales, looking for just the right books for each of us for Christmas. That…
Pirouetting Skating on the ice Doing pirouettes Upon the frozen Mirror in my heart The sadness and the grief Are buried still within Yet ice inside in my heart Now glistens in the sun Memories arise While dancing in the light The pain begins to yield Hope rises from within Spinning on the ice That…
O Lord, please help me Let go of the pressure Of the outer world The shoulds, the musts The urge to do The busyness Please help me sit To breathe and listen Listen for Your voice Breathe in the silence Just be Not do, just be Only then can I hear Your loving, gentle voice…
October, 2023 Dear Mom, It is October in New Hampshire. I remember how much you loved visiting now, to enjoy the glorious fall colors. But there is another special feature of this month that has become one of my favorites. When I go down to the lake early in the morning to meditate, an enchanting…
