Category Archives: Tragedy

Progress?

Posted on January 31, 2014 by edcol52

Today was a tiny slice of normal. The clouds lifted somewhat, and shreds of blue emerged from behind the corrugated grey clouds as the day wore on. Bustling around doing innocuous errands for most of the day, including trips to two … Continue reading →

Posted in Ceremony, Coping, Daily Ramblings, Grief, Healing, Jake's Spirit, Memory, Progress, Sadness, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , | 2 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

Kaddish

Posted on January 28, 2014 by edcol52

Today I went to shul to say Kaddish for Jake on the one month anniversary of his death. The Mourner’s Kaddish is one of the most famous prayers in all of Judaism. What is unusual for a prayer said in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ceremony, Coping, Daily Ramblings, Honoring Jake, Jake Colman, Jake's Spirit, Memory, Observations, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , | 11 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

These Days

Posted on January 26, 2014 by edcol52

At times, these days, I’m certain that I hear Or think I hear your tread upon the floor But when I glance from ‘neath my silent tear ‘Tis but a breath of air, and nothing more. Do I now sense … Continue reading →

Posted in Coping, Daily Ramblings, Grief, Honoring Jake, Memory, Poetry, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 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

Shabbat #4

Posted on January 25, 2014 by edcol52

Yesterday was mostly uneventful. Which, right now, is a good thing. We had our ‘California Breakfast’ of grapefruit and oranges from the tree, yogurt and bananas and strong black coffee, on the patio. Our friends, the birds, flitted about and … Continue reading →

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

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

The Teacup

Posted on January 22, 2014 by edcol52

We drove north on Pacific Coast Highway from LA to Ojai yesterday. Passing through the familiar stretch above the Ventura county line. The mottled cloud cover turned the ocean a flat leaden gray, and drained all the color out of … Continue reading →

Posted in Grief, Memory, Observations, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

A Peculiar Paradox

Posted on January 21, 2014 by edcol52

Somehow, I have not yet been able to reconcile the fact that our son is truly gone with the fact that he seems so close at times. I look at the belongings we brought back from Palm Springs, three huge … Continue reading →

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