-
Vulnerable
I have mixed feelings whenever I hear people say that high school was the best time of their life. Partly because I am jealous that they had such a wonderful high school experience. But, also because there’s an awful lot of life after high school, and a lot of joy to be had in those…
-
Vocabulary
I’m a self-confessed word nerd. As an English major, an avid reader, and a writer, words are important to me. I take pride in having a big vocabulary. I like to understand the roots and etymology of words. My husband is also an English major and a writer. His reading interests are probably wider than…
-
Seven Years Later
The last two weeks I’ve talked about a hurricane and subsequent flood that we experienced in September of 2017. It was just five months after our younger daughter died in a car accident. Our 30-year-old, newlywed, moving-up-in-her-career, headstrong, sarcastic, kind-hearted, Jesus-loving daughter whose future we were looking forward to sharing. It felt like God was…
-
After the Deluge
Last week I wrote about the hurricane we experienced over Labor Day weekend 2017. After the storm passed and everyone in the neighborhood breathed a sigh of relief that we had come out relatively unscathed, folks started pitching in clearing driveways, hauling branches off fences and roofs, and making room in fridges and freezers for…
-
Weathering the Storm
We are in the middle of hurricane season here in the southeast US. My husband and I are pretty used to prepping for storms. He was born and raised in Florida and I’ve lived here 34 years. Still, we never take for granted the unpredictability of a hurricane, despite the interactive weather maps with cones…
-
Outlet
Our house is in a rural area and we are on a well and septic tank. We have several filters and two different kinds of softeners to take things like tannins, lime, and iron out of the water. These filters have to be changed periodically. Prior to my husband’s knee replacement surgeries, he gave me…
-
Do Overs
Parenting is fraught with guilt. Santa isn’t able to bring the exact bicycle your child wanted for Christmas. Zach can’t go on the spring break trip unless he has a job during winter holidays. Mama won’t allow Chelsea to wear her skirt as short as “all the other girls” do. Your child complains bitterly about…
-
Grandfathers
Week two of reminiscing about my grandparents. This time about my grandfathers. Published on Father’s Day, 2016: Thought about my grandmothers on Mother’s Day which naturally led to thoughts of my grandfathers. What good men they both were. I am fortunate to have a written history of the Stuart family that traces back in detail…
-
Grandmothers
Something different the next two weeks. I’m scheduling this and the following week’s post ahead of time. In a couple of days, I will be embarking on my annual “road trip with Grandmama.” This time with my youngest grand. For four years in a row, I’ve taken each grandchild, in succession, on a trip to…
-
Different Yet the Same
Humankind is so wonderfully diverse. No two people, even so-called identical twins, are exactly the same. They may look alike. Their voices may sound alike. But, their personalities, their likes and dislikes aren’t identical. Growing up together, they share many of the same experiences, but not all. And, they may have differing reactions to a…
A Light for My Path
Carrying the torch for bereaved parents.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105
Why I’m Here
It feels impossible that I have lived for more than eight years now (ed. 2025) without one of my children in my life. Yet, here I am. And, here I will be for however many more years I have in this world.
I’ve learned a lot in these ensuing years. Some lessons I didn’t want to learn and some I wouldn’t have learned any other way than through losing Rachel. I would give anything to have remained ignorant. I have learned that losing a child changes you fundamentally, just as becoming a parent does. I have learned that those changes can be hard on relationships. That members of the same family will grieve differently, and we have to give each other grace. That deep and lasting grief can be frightening or uncomfortable to others. That some of those others will pull away. That many more others will stand beside you even when your changed self is hard to be around, awkward, talking too much, silent, laughing inappropriately, or crying uncontrollably.
What doesn’t change is God’s grace and mercy. He is here in the midst of the deepest grief. His Spirit groans for us when we don’t know what to pray. And, in my case, He led me to a wonderful group of other hurting hearts who shared their loss experiences, their faith struggles, and their recognition that though we grieve, we grieve with hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13).
I’ve decided that just maybe I’ve attained enough life lessons to be of some help to other grieving parents. To that end, I launched this blog site and a companion Facebook page. They are open to all, but the target audience is parents who have lost a child and those who love and want to support them. My posts reflect my Christian beliefs and will follow Biblical principles. I welcome questions, comments, humor, soul-baring, vulnerability, doubt, strength, and support.
Laura 3/28/2022
We are all just walking each other home.
Ram Dass
A Light for My Path 