Category Archives: Support

What’s the Lesson?

Posted on February 13, 2014 by edcol52

This morning I found this post and photo on my Facebook feed from Jessie E., (the girl in the lower left of the picture) a long time friend of Jake’s: Liebe Ed and Terry, I am currently in the process … Continue reading →

Posted in Coping, Daily Ramblings, Friends and Family, Friends Write, Grief, Honoring Jake, Kindness, Memory, Photography, Sadness, Support | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Books and Bowls

Posted on February 10, 2014 by edcol52

Today I got two stacks of letters ready to mail. The first was made up of some bills Jake left behind. I wrote a brief letter explaining the situation to the creditors and printed copies of the death certificate. Seeing … Continue reading →

Posted in Coping, Food, Friends and Family, Grief, Healing, Honoring Jake, Jake's Library, Jake's Spirit, Kindness, Memory, Progress, Support | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Solving the Problem of Grief: The Solution Is Not What You Think

Posted on February 1, 2014 by edcol52

Originally posted on Natasha's Memory Garden:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-devine/death-and-dying_b_4606150.html By Megan Devine Posted: 01/23/2014 5:51 pm Solving the problem of grief is a problem in itself: if the ways you are broken cannot possibly be fixed, why does everyone keep giving…

Posted in Friends and Family, Grief, Healing, Kindness, Print Article, Progress, Sadness, Support, Tragedy | 5 Comments

Kindness

Posted on January 30, 2014 by edcol52

Today was flat. Flat, grey clouds overhead, flat grey light, flat grey feelings inside. After the wrenching emotional rollercoaster of yesterday, I feel exhausted and encouraged all at the same time. That paradox. I experienced several acts of kindness today that … Continue reading →

Posted in Coping, Daily Ramblings, Friends and Family, Healing, Kindness, Observations, Support | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Shloshim

Posted on January 29, 2014 by edcol52

Today we marked the end of the shloshim, the 30 days of mourning following Jake’s funeral. The day dawned cold and grey. A shroud of fog enveloped everything, damp and misty. We drove to the cemetery in silence. Even the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ceremony, Coping, Daily Ramblings, Friends and Family, Grief, Healing, Honoring Jake, Jake's Spirit, Memory, Support, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Relativity

Posted on January 27, 2014 by edcol52

Tomorrow, it will be one month since that dreadful telephone call. The details of which are seared into my memory for all time. It is all so fresh, I can’t believe the time has passed. But time is always relative. … Continue reading →

Posted in Coping, Daily Ramblings, Friends and Family, Grief, Healing, Jake's Spirit, Memory, Support, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Art of Presence – New York Times Article

Posted on January 26, 2014 by edcol52

Here is a link to a great article about helping people who grieve. As I wrote earlier, just being there is often enough, but when it isn’t, here are some guidelines for action. There is an interesting point made about … Continue reading →

Posted in Coping, Daily Ramblings, Friends and Family, Grief, Healing, Kindness, Print Article, Support, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Duck Billed Platitudes

Posted on January 24, 2014 by edcol52

There is a reason that during the traditional shiva, the 7 days of mourning following the funeral of a loved one, visitors to the shiva house are not supposed to speak to the mourners. There is absolutely nothing anyone can … Continue reading →

Posted in Coping, Daily Ramblings, Friends and Family, Grief, Healing, Observations, Support, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

One More Day

Posted on January 21, 2014 by edcol52

January 14 I walked out into the warm Los Angeles morning today. The lemon yellow sun was streaming clear low winter light from the perfectly blue sky. I asked our rabbi, who had come over to visit us, how can … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends and Family, Friends Write, Grief, Healing, Honoring Jake, Jake Colman, Memory, Past Facebook Post, Support | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Arrangements

Posted on January 21, 2014 by edcol52

January 13 Bittersweet. Today we went to “arrange” for Jake’s marker stone. Looking at fonts, finishes, stones, working out the text, like we were designing some ghastly business card. Just another surreal episode in this Bizzaro world we now inhabit. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ceremony, Friends and Family, Grief, Honoring Jake, Jake's Spirit, Memory, Past Facebook Post, Sadness, Support, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment