🕯 A Place To Be With OTHERS Who Are Grieving! WE support each other.

[Spring2025]

THIS GROUP IS OPEN TO ALL GRIEVERS NO MATTER HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN [years,days].

To participate, click on reply button at bottom of this post. Enter your comment. Click on reply again.

Luv,

Nicole  🤗🤗🤗  (Grief Forum)

[jonibee]

A nice pictureof Mister...

[Spring2025]

Thanks Jonibee @jonibee 💛🤗

[Spring2025]

📰 A late Happy New Year ALL!!!

The two months I "stepped away" really helped me to refocus on my passions.

Lol, all the drama with the AARP mod made me give up on a group that saved my life. Yes, you guys shared your journeys. Journeys that were not easy, but you did it. 👍

As I look back on how far we have ALL come, a smile comes to my face.

Gosh, some have moved to another state.

Some had to downsize.

Some had additional losses. 😭

All a part of OUR HEALING.

Lol, now let me shut up = yes, the chatterbox who wears your ears out. 😂🤣

Wishing ALL a year FULL of hope.

Luv,

Nicole 🤗🤗🤗 (Grief Forum)

[Spring2025]

OUR FEBRUARY 2025 EVENTS!!!

Tell other grievers about these FREE AARP Grief & Loss "online" events. Available to AARP members and non-members. 🙃

Use the link below to obtain details (event name,about event,dates,available in ALL time zones-listed).

https://community.aarp.org/t5/Grief-Loss/FREE-AARP-quot-Grief-amp-Loss-quot-Online-Events-for-Non-Me...

[Spring2025]

Susan @SusanR479241, how are you doing? 🤗🤗🤗

[Spring2025]

MC @mc6844, how are you doing? 🤗🤗🤗

[Spring2025]

Lisa @LisaJP6763, how are you doing? 🤗🤗🤗

[Spring2025]

MKK @MkK700720 , how are you doing? 🤗🤗🤗

[Spring2025]

Shirley @sfsmith56 , how are you doing? 🤗🤗🤗

[Spring2025]

Jonibee @jonibee , nope not a football fan. 🙄 Hope your team wins!!! 🤗🤗🤗

YOU WROTE: Enjoy the football weekend if you're a football fan...And of course the coming Martin Luther Day and Valentines Day...I like the commercials on tv for the football game..

[Spring2025]

Marcy @MarcyW882921 , how are you doing? 🤗🤗🤗

[Spring2025]

Cadee @Cadee2719 , how are you doing? 🤗🤗🤗

[Spring2025]

Julie @JulieT507376 , how are you and Sadie 🐕 doing? 🤗🤗🤗

[Spring2025]

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[sfsmith56]

Hello:

My name is Shirley.  I have losses my entire family of origin plus many cousins, aunts, and uncles. I finally took the time to write about loss.  How it affects us. Ways to get through grief: remembering family, having community, and participating with others in meaningful events. As I wrote my book:  "Life After Death" Resilience, Identity, and Revelations During Grief and After Loss, I was able to experience much healing. I hope it is helpful to others as well:  https://a.co/d/59fEYkY

[jimbohretired]

L Hi Shirley will look up your book. Here is my story probably not much different then anyone else who has lost a loved one. I hope this will help someone. 

I never experienced a significant loss until my wife passed. I had moved away from my parents many years past. I spent 3 years in the military in Germany after high school and 4 years in college. I was the youngest of 6 children - was an afterthought as there was 7 years between me and my closest sibling.  When I came back from Germany I (within a year) married a former high school classmate that I had been corresponding with for 14 months. I actually had know her since the 2nd grade - we were in many classes together and also went to the same small church and participated in groups  together. She of course was the love of my life - we had 53 great years together  and we have  3 children.I communicate with all of hem regularly and I talk with our oldest boy for close to an hour early every morning while I am biking (He works after 9am every day)  

I make efforts to be with other people. I have started a get together with friends  on my street every couple of weeks, I go to a very social circuit training class 3X per week and volunteer with a group of men to do maintenance at my church every thursday.

Anyhow as I was much younger than my siblings I pretty much had no close relationship with any of them. They all had their own families and were living their lives by the time I graduated from School and  after 3 years in the military I had to begin getting to know them all over again.

I remember one instance when I was living in Mpls. with my wife and children- 3 of the siblings got together 2 in town and one from several hundred miles away. I remember my mom in a phone call asking me did I have a good time with my brothers and sister - When I told her i did not know about the gathering she was horrified - My response was Mom there is no reason they would have even thought of me as I had minimal  contact with them over the years.

Anyhow that has now changed and we all get together at least once a year. I actually now spend time with my Brother's very frail widow every week just to talk and have a meal .

Anyhow to end this my wife died 3 years past at Christmas and the wound is till there and probably will never completely heal. I pretty much was her caregiver starting in late 2014 when her kidneys failed that followed with two strokes broken shoulders and a hip replacement. She received a new kidney July of 2015 ( I donated a kidney that summer not to her but to someone else - because of that she got a kidney about a week before she would have been on dialysis.

Anyhow that is my story and I still feel the loss. I suspect that feeling will never go away. At this point I have no interest in finding another partner (but wonder if I should)

[Spring2025]

[2/7/25] Shirley @sfsmith56 , I hope you are able to get some book sales. Thanks for stopping by!!!

Luv,

Nicole 🤗🤗🤗 (Grief Forum)

[Spring2025]

December 4, 2024.

Good Morning ALL!!!

I wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU for all the support you guys have had for OUR GROUP.

With Julie @JulieT507376 & Sadie  🐕  all packed up, one more STRONGER griever READY to face what life has in store for HER. 👍

Wishing OUR dear sweet Julie & Sadie 🐕 all the best - the tears are flowing.

WE ALL HAVE SEASONS in our lives and mine has changed. Plan on "stepping away" until February 2025. I will be back!!! 🙃

I didnot want to disappear without explaining.

Cadee @Cadee2719 , I will keep an eye out for those DELICIOUS baked goods you are sending me. This touches my insides dear friend.

*** Everyone should have my email address & mailing address to stay in contact. ***

Luv,

Nicole  🤗🤗🤗 (Grief Forum)

[jonibee]

I will miss your post but it's not goodbye it's until we meet again..Here's to the future...

[MkK700720]

Nicole I hope you stop by and let the group know how you are. Your dedication and support to many grieving is noteworthy. I can't always get on the site but offer support when I can. Thank you for your support and caring. Please take good care of yourself and Mister Kitty! 

---

@Spring2025 wrote:

December 4, 2024.

Good Morning All!!!

I wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU for all the support you guys have had for OUR GROUP.

With Julie @JulieT507376 & Sadie  🐕  all packed up, one more STRONGER griever - I am calling it quits.

Lol, this site is draining what spark I have left and to be honest, between dealing with AARP and wishing our dear sweet Julie & Sadie all the best - the tears are flowing.

WE ALL HAVE SEASONS in our lives and mine has changed.

I didnot want to disappear without explaining.

Cadee @Cadee2719 , I will keep an eye out for those DELICIOUS baked goods you are sending me. This touches my insides dear friend.

*** Everyone should have my email address & mailing address to stay in contact. ***

Luv,

Nicole  🤗🤗🤗

---

1.  

[Spring2025]

[2/8/25] Hi @MkK700720 , Mister 🐈 is doing GREAT!!! Thanks for asking.

Luv,

Nicole 🤗🤗🤗 (Grief Forum)

[MarcyW882921]

Nicole @Spring2025 ,

I understand seasons in our lives and how they change. You have been a constant champion for all of us grievers and I know I am truly grateful for all the support and caring you have shown to me! You will be sorely missed by those of us who know you and by those who will miss the opportunity to be touched by your kindness.

🤗🤗🤗

Marcy

[Cadee2719]

  Just wanted to wish everyone here a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Happy New Year.  🎄♥️

[Spring2025]

[2/8/25] Cadee @Cadee2719 , I know your Christmas 2024 was VERY SPECIAL = your brother and son were with you!!!

Luv,

Nicole 🤗🤗🤗 (Grief Forum)

[MarcyW882921]

Thanks Cadee @Cadee2719 . I wish the same for you!

Marcy

[Spring2025]

📸  Attachment  📸

Dear Julie @JulieT507376 !!!

You have been with us 10 months and I have watched you blossom with determination to keep busy.

Hats off to you my dear friend as you ARRIVE at your DESTINATION (tomorrow).

A day WE all have DREADED (our 1st anniversary).

Some leave after this arrival, STRONGER and knowing IF needed, they are ALWAYS WELCOME BACK.

While I HOPE you continue to be a part of our group, I will understand that it is time to say goodbye.

Goodness, Sadie  🐕  has ADDED SO MUCH to my life and Mister's  🐈.

How is your sweet girl doing? Still limping?

And how are you doing Ms. Busier than I am?

Cookies all ready for tomorrow?

Luv,

Nicole  🤗🤗🤗  (Grief Forum)

[JulieT507376]

Cookies are done and the neighbor ladies are excited to come and bring their special cookies.  They all know what the day is and yet are willing to support me by letting me celebrate Mark.   It was hard deciding what cookie to make Mark.  He was so easy to bake for!  He loved everything I made for him.❤️ I’m taking day by day now.  I need to start thinking about his clothes.  Maybe in the spring.  For now I continue to get comfort knowing they are where they belong.  It is

definitely a process.  One that is felt with every breath I take.  
BTW…The eagle is still at my house sitting in trees or on the poles.  It gives me great peace. 

Thank you everyone for your support!  It’s has been calming and healing at times when I’ve really needed it. 

[Spring2025]

Lol, Julie @JulieT507376 , didnot see Sadie & your BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREE!!!! Glad I read your post again. Guys, Julie has 2 pictures 📸  attached  📸. This site is a pain to use. Looking CUTE as usual posing for her mom. You and your grandson did an AWESOME JOB on the tree. Is Sadie still limping?  🤗🤗🤗

[JulieT507376]

Sadie limps after she over does on the craziness playing she does.  She can’t seem to stay calm for very long! But truly is sooooo much better.  

[Spring2025]

SO GLAD to hear she is healing and being silly again Julie @JulieT507376 !!!

Safe travels to see your family and I know she will miss you.  🤗🤗🤗