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: Your Doctor Called You Lucky After Your Son Died?
“Your doctor called you lucky after your son died?” You asked? He sure did, Neighbor…and here’s what I later gleened from that experience… …………… “You’re lucky we were able to do a bikini cut,” my obstetrician said to me during my six-week checkup. Lucky? I sat across from this man who had come to know my body—well, certain parts like … Read More
Ask Annah: How Do I Move Forward When the Past Keeps Repeating Itself? Part III: Fear
Dearest Neighbor, Thank you for your courage to heal your heartaches big and small and for sharing, for in reaching out, you are also giving strength and hope to others. “How do I move forward when the same bad stuff keeps happening over and over again?” Millions of us can relate to your question and in countless ways. I joked … Read More
Ask Annah: Am I a Lost Cause?
Dearest Neighbor, Oh, how I relate to your current struggle and remember well feeling like I was the only person on the planet who wasn’t “getting it.” “I just can’t relate to my friends, my family, or my therapist because what they are saying just doesn’t make sense to me. Am I a lost cause?” Let me assure you that … Read More
Ask Annah: I’m Afraid My Deceased Loved One Will Be Forgotten. How Do I Prevent That?
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: How Do I Move Forward When the Past Keeps Repeating Itself? Part II: Overcoming Fear of Failure
Dearest Neighbor, I hear you. I feel your fear. I think it is fairly safe to say that all of us have experienced times where we keep making the same mistakes over and over. Maybe you keep choosing relationships with people who tear you down rather than lift you up. Maybe you burn dinner more nights than not because you … Read More
Ask Annah: I Feel So Lost! How Can I Find My Way Through My Grief?
Dear Neighbor, I hear you. I feel your pain. I understand how crazy making it is to feel like you are walking in circles or to be utterly, hopelessly lost in the middle of nowhere. I live on a two-hundred-acre parcel of land, complete with hills, valleys, and thick forests. My husband is an avid outdoors-man and can tell you … Read More
Ask Annah: How Can I Fix My Grief Pain?
Dearest Neighbor, I feel your pain and I am so very sorry for your losses. “How can I fix my grief pain,” you ask? I wish there was one simple answer I could give you, some magic wand I can wave to make the hurt all go away, but since I wasn’t born with those gifts, I’ll be happy to … Read More
Ask Annah: Can I Say Screw You to the New-Year-New-You Resolutions Hype?
Dearest Journeyer, Your inbox is filled with NEW-YEAR-NEW YOU invites to every type of inspirational class and program known to man. Your friends are breaking out words for the year of 2018: TRUST! FLOURISH! REFLECT! DRIVE! DANCE! People are posting vision boards and nearly shouting how they are signing up for weight loss programs, writing classes, and locking in one-year … Read More
Ask Annah: Does Grief Last Forever?
Dearest Neighbor, First, I’m sorry for your loss and your heartache. Please know that, though it might sometimes feel like you are all alone, you have a world of support to help you in your grief and beyond. Will your grief last forever? It doesn’t have to, Journeyer, but it all depends on you. In the 5 Steps of Healing, … Read More