Creating conversations about loss

Belonging

BY JD DUNBAR NOVEMBER 26, 2023 There are no prescribed guideposts for losing a family member of this caliber. How do we mourn the loss and celebrate the life of our pets? Since there is little social acknowledgment relative to a pet’s death, the grieving is usually a lonely sojourn, […]

‘Walking Whiskey Home’ with those touched by dog’s life

December 3, 2023 in Belonging / Death and Dying / Grief / Remembrance by LTLWYS Admin

BY LAURI PERMANMAY 28, 2023 6:00 AM When my teenage sister died in a car accident, friends and neighbors blessed our family with oodles of food. The large dining room table, used only on holidays, was covered with food, enough to serve all the out-of-town family members who crowded in […]

Dementia brings ‘unofficial loss’ and often leads to grieving alone

June 14, 2023 in Belonging / Grief / Suffering / Transitions by LTLWYS Admin

BY KEN BAXTERAPRIL 23, 2023 6:00 AM Hanna Arendt, one of my favorite philosophers, said, “We will lose everything, including our lives.” I would add everything and everyone, and in no particular order. In my younger days, I helped people navigate an ever-changing, and increasingly dangerous world. Teaching self-defense to […]

The ‘what-ifs’ are real, but we must live without fear

April 24, 2023 in Belonging / Death and Dying / Depression / Grief / Hope / Remembrance / Storytelling by LTLWYS Admin

BY BETH MCLAUGHLIN DECEMBER 25, 2022 8:00 AM I watch as my mother inches forward in her recliner as she readies herself to stand. She pauses and looks at me, “Beth Ann, do me one favor before I die, would you?” “Of course, Mom, what is it?” She wags her […]

The shape of me

January 4, 2023 in Belonging / Grief / Transitions by LTLWYS Admin

BY EVELYN WALDOCTOBER 23, 2022 7:00 AM I remember as a child the anxiety I often felt when it was time to play sports. Two children were chosen as captains and picked their teams one person at a time. In the end, there would be a few of us remaining, […]

Embracing all of who we are can bring hope, healing, ...

October 23, 2022 in Belonging / Grief / Hope / Transitions by LTLWYS Admin

BY ELIZABETH AND CHRISTIAN BRADYJANUARY 16, 2022 6:00 AM My back was sore as I scrambled off the floor and the pile of wrapped presents to slide onto the couch and pick up my glass of port. I stretched and observed to Elizabeth that it has been a really challenging […]

9 years after Mack Brady’s death, grief changes, celebration of ...

January 18, 2022 in Belonging / Death and Dying / Grief / Hope / Remembrance by LTLWYS Admin

BY LEARNING TO LIVE STORYTELLERSFEBRUARY 28, 2021 07:00 AM The stage is empty. Typically, people would be gathering this month to hear a group of local individuals share stories from their lives at “The State of the Story: Learning to Live” event. For the past five years, the month of […]

Storytellers Reflect on Sharing Tales of Love, Loss and Transformation

March 2, 2021 in Belonging / Depression / Grief / Hope / Remembrance / Storytelling / Suffering / Transitions by LTLWYS Admin

BY LUCAS WOLFENOVEMBER 01, 2020 06:00 AM I used to tell people I lived a perfect life. I grew up in a warm home with a loving family. I went to good schools and earned decent grades. I played a bunch of sports and had some talent at all of […]

Community is the Cure to Depression

November 18, 2020 in Belonging / Depression by LTLWYS Admin

AUGUST 23, 2020 08:00 AM , UPDATED AUGUST 23, 2020 03:29 PM During these times of COVID-19 there are many losses students are facing. A graduate level class at Penn State shared some of theirs last month: Some personal losses I am experiencing are loss of personal contact, loss of […]

Their Own Losses, Their Own Words

August 27, 2020 in Belonging / Grief / Transitions by LTLWYS Admin

BY BETH SHAHA June 28, 2020 I am like a canary. Years ago, canaries were used to help determine if a mine was safe from poisonous toxins in the air. Miners couldn’t sense these toxins, only canaries could. A canary is built sensitive enough to feel the toxins. If the […]

How Can We Listen to the Canaries in Our Lives?

June 29, 2020 in Belonging / Transitions by LTLWYS Admin