Tag Archives: grief

The Mary Mac Show | Celebrate With Me

In Episode 175, I express my deep gratitude that I can celebrate, for the first time in my life, that my birthday falls on Easter Sunday.

What a wonderful moment in time!

Today I get to celebrate my birthday for the first time, as it falls on Easter Sunday.

As a kid, I would always look on new calendars when my birthday would fall.

Sometimes it was Holy Thursday, Good Friday, maybe Holy Saturday, but never Easter.

It also fell sometime around Easter, yet many days before or after.

Not happy.

And if my day landed on Good Friday, well, we weren’t having any kind of celebration.

My mother wouldn’t hear of it.

As the years went by, it always made me curious as to how they figured out when Easter would be as it was never the same day, it seemed.

So maybe a half dozen years ago I research what days Easter would fall. And I found these calendars from 1900 – 1999 and 2000 – 2099.

So it turns out that my birthday hadn’t fallen on Easter since 1950 and I wasn’t even thought of at that point.

So my birthday, April 9th, hasn’t been on Easter for 73 years from 1950 – 2023! Wow.

And it won’t be on Easter again until I’m 77 and 88, if I am so fortunate to be around then.

Anyway, I’m very grateful to share this day with you.

And I’m also thankful that I can spend this holy week with my beloved David in Rome, Italy! A dream come true.

So please have a wonderful Easter weekend. I hope you, too, will join me in celebrating this special day with me.

And if you would be so kind as to make a donation to The Foundation for Grieving Children, Inc., the organization I started 20 years ago for the benefit of grieving children, teens, young adults and families, it would be fantastic.

Whatever you can give would be so appreciated.

Just go here.

And to see the organizations your gifts have blessed, go here.

Much Love, my Warrior.
xoxo

Additional Notes – Some things that will help along this journey to ease the pain:

If you are having an especially difficult time emotionally, I recommend you speak with a specialist at a hotline near you. Here you will find hotlines all around the world. Trained counselors are there to listen, free of charge, to what’s going on with you. Take advantage of their great kindness. Vent with an objective individual. You don’t have to be ‘suicidal’ to call them, but if you are, that’s the best place to call. Don’t hestitate!

For parents and teens, there is an amazing resource where you can email or text counselors for help at The Boys Town National Hotline! Outstanding assistance for your children and you. You can also dial 988 for assistance.

Visit Julie’s EFT episodes on grief and she will teach you the Emotional Freedom Technique. Her videos calm your spirit and help you release emotional and physical pain as you move forward.

Here are some meditation music to help you rest.

You can order your Bach’s Rescue Remedy from most health food stores, either in person or online. Remember, these do have alcohol in them.

I use the Rescue Remedy 20ml drops but they have spray and other versions which might work better for you. And…they also have products to calm pets, too.

*To find a homeopathic doctor, visit here or here. Many offer phone consultations if you cannot find one in your area. They work with patients around the globe. You can also research in your area of the world.

Grab my free ebook, 21 Things You Need to Know About the Grieving Process, right here on my site.

Please share with anyone who may need this knowledge. Also subscribe, rate and review this podcast on whichever podcast platform you listened in.

The Mary Mac Show | When You Decide

In Episode 174, we discuss when grief becomes softer and we allow ourselves to consider dating, building a new life, storing belongings and moving forward.

As we move through our grieving process, we wonder when is the exact right time to allow ourselves to begin to live again, perhaps love again.

We question when we should pack up some of their things, maybe reorganize their room, or give away their things.

We wonder if dating should be on your radar. Has it been enough time?

And what is the exact right time, anyway?

Not to mention what our family and friends have to say about it all. Should their voice matter?

Deciding if and when to make such changes in our life takes time.

And only YOU can make those decisions.

And it won’t be easy because regret, guilt and other ugly emotions may come up for you.

Even if they don’t come up for you, there may be family or friends who will bring them up and cause you to be cautious, question your decisions and sometimes make you backtrack and question your actions or potential actions you once were so at peace with before you engaged them in your decisions.

In this episode I speak about making decisions on your own and not putting it up for a vote.

This is your life and only YOU get to vote on what will work for you.

Granted if you’re married, a joint decision may be needed.

But it will be you who ultimately knows when you’re ready for the next steps in your life.

And only you can decide what those next steps will be.

Trust yourself, my love.

You have been through a great trial.

Give yourself the credit you deserve.

Grief is messy and you need to pamper yourself through it.

So let your spirit lead you.

When you get the nudge inside to move forward, do it.

Don’t question it.

Just act with decisiveness.

Never to regret that decision because you knew you were ready.

Remember to love yourself through those decisions, even if you are wailing while putting away some of their things.

Take baby steps if you need to.

A small box put away in the attic for now. Later, donating those things to a deserving person or place.

Coffee with a new friend from the support group. Or perhaps a movie to allow yourself some joy and an outing.

Give yourself the grace you deserve.

Much Love, my Warrior.
xoxo

Additional Notes – Some things that will help along this journey to ease the pain:

If you are having an especially difficult time emotionally, I recommend you speak with a specialist at a hotline near you. Here you will find hotlines all around the world. Trained counselors are there to listen, free of charge, to what’s going on with you. Take advantage of their great kindness. Vent with an objective individual. You don’t have to be ‘suicidal’ to call them, but if you are, that’s the best place to call. Don’t hestitate!

For parents and teens, there is an amazing resource where you can email or text counselors for help at The Boys Town National Hotline! Outstanding assistance for your children and you. You can also dial 988 for assistance.

Visit Julie’s EFT episodes on grief and she will teach you the Emotional Freedom Technique. Her videos calm your spirit and help you release emotional and physical pain as you move forward.

Here are some meditation music to help you rest.

You can order your Bach’s Rescue Remedy from most health food stores, either in person or online. Remember, these do have alcohol in them.

I use the Rescue Remedy 20ml drops but they have spray and other versions which might work better for you. And…they also have products to calm pets, too.

*To find a homeopathic doctor, visit here or here. Many offer phone consultations if you cannot find one in your area. They work with patients around the globe. You can also research in your area of the world.

Grab my free ebook, 21 Things You Need to Know About the Grieving Process, right here on my site.

Please share with anyone who may need this knowledge. Also subscribe, rate and review this podcast on whichever podcast platform you listened in.

The Mary Mac Show | Why

In Episode 173, we discuss how to deal with the Why question after a loved one’s death.

So many of us have this broken record spinning around in our mind about why our loved one died and why now.

And the sad part is that it can go on and on for decades.

We never seem to settle it within our souls and no one can give us a damn good reason why they died now, why they died the way they did, perhaps after a short or long illness, and why they died at all.

It’s one of the hardest parts of grief.

We never seem to settle it within our soul.

Not having those answers really is so disheartening.

In this week’s episode, I talk about the deep issue of “Why” and what goes on in our hearts and minds after a loved one’s death.

There is so much to consider and I leap into the nuances of this subject.

Let me know your comments below.

Bless you, my friend.
xoxo

Additional Notes – Some things that will help along this journey to ease the pain:

If you are having an especially difficult time emotionally, I recommend you speak with a specialist at a hotline near you. Here you will find hotlines all around the world. Trained counselors are there to listen, free of charge, to what’s going on with you. Take advantage of their great kindness. Vent with an objective individual. You don’t have to be ‘suicidal’ to call them, but if you are, that’s the best place to call. Don’t hestitate!

For parents and teens, there is an amazing resource where you can email or text counselors for help at The Boys Town National Hotline! Outstanding assistance for your children and you. You can also dial 988 for assistance.

Visit Julie’s EFT episodes on grief and she will teach you the Emotional Freedom Technique. Her videos calm your spirit and help you release emotional and physical pain as you move forward.

Here are some meditation music to help you rest.

You can order your Bach’s Rescue Remedy from most health food stores, either in person or online. Remember, these do have alcohol in them.

I use the Rescue Remedy 20ml drops but they have spray and other versions which might work better for you. And…they also have products to calm pets, too.

*To find a homeopathic doctor, visit here or here. Many offer phone consultations if you cannot find one in your area. They work with patients around the globe. You can also research in your area of the world.

Grab my free ebook, 21 Things You Need to Know About the Grieving Process, right here on my site.

Please share with anyone who may need this knowledge. Also subscribe, rate and review this podcast on whichever podcast platform you listened in.

The Mary Mac Show | Death of a Grandparent

Grandma having a conversation with Daisy on the terrace

In Episode 172, we discuss the love of a grandparent and how their devotion to us is rare and sacred. And if they raised you because your parents couldn’t, they are our heroes.

If you had the good fortune to be surrounded and loved by grandparents in your lifetime, however brief or long, you will know how special that bond or relationship was.

Sometimes they would be geographically nearby, sometimes they had time to devote to you, maybe even take you to their homes for the weekends or longer.

Sometimes you’d only get to appreciate them during holidays and vacations.

And if you were lucky they’d think you were the best thing ever and shower you with love and affection.

The relationship was a bond that you had with no other.

And if your grandparent or grandparents took you in when your own parents were unable to provide for you, you were additionally blessed when they raised you as their own.

When a grandparent/s decides that you are more valuable to them than retiring or spending their latter year resting and having that time for themselves, you know that you are extremely special. Doing that when your parents couldn’t or wouldn’t, was a selfless act on their part.

They became your heroes.

In this episode, I indulge in sharing my experiences with my three grandparents and to this day, I miss them all. This past week on March 14th was the anniversary of my grandma’s death – 28 years ago.

We had a special bond, completely different than my parents and in some ways far superior.

Leave a comment below to share what your grandparents meant to you and your grieving process after their death.

Blessings to You.

xoxo

Additional Notes – Some things that will help along this journey to ease the pain:

If you are having an especially difficult time emotionally, I recommend you speak with a specialist at a hotline near you. Here you will find hotlines all around the world. Trained counselors are there to listen, free of charge, to what’s going on with you. Take advantage of their great kindness. Vent with an objective individual. You don’t have to be ‘suicidal’ to call them, but if you are, that’s the best place to call. Don’t hestitate!

For parents and teens, there is an amazing resource where you can email or text counselors for help at The Boys Town National Hotline! Outstanding assistance for your children and you. You can also dial 988 for assistance.

Visit Julie’s EFT episodes on grief and she will teach you the Emotional Freedom Technique. Her videos calm your spirit and help you release emotional and physical pain as you move forward.

Here are some meditation music to help you rest.

You can order your Bach’s Rescue Remedy from most health food stores, either in person or online. Remember, these do have alcohol in them.

I use the Rescue Remedy 20ml drops but they have spray and other versions which might work better for you. And…they also have products to calm pets, too.

*To find a homeopathic doctor, visit here or here. Many offer phone consultations if you cannot find one in your area. They work with patients around the globe. You can also research in your area of the world.

Grab my free ebook, 21 Things You Need to Know About the Grieving Process, right here on my site.

Please share with anyone who may need this knowledge. Also subscribe, rate and review this podcast on whichever podcast platform you listened in.

The Mary Mac Show | Creating a New Family

The Mary Mac Show Podcast

In Episode 171, we discuss how your personal family may not be there for you along your grief journey but others step up to help and love you.

There comes a time in every bereaved person’s life when they start to wonder exactly where are the people who claimed they would be there for you along this difficult journey.

You sit at night, possibly all alone, after a long day and wish that the people who claimed they’d visit and take you out and help you when you needed it…well, where are they?

It’s additionally painful when you realize they aren’t coming to help, to console, to comfort, to be there for you at the most horrific parts of this journey.

Some are even wondering “Aren’t you over this by now?”

And that can be a very painful realization.

Life is definitely different when it become obvious that your family might not be as supportive as you once thought and it’s actually other individuals – neighbors, business colleagues, and others who step up to the plate for you.

In this episode we speak about how to handle releasing the ‘talkers’ from the ‘doers’ and how this exercise is perfectly acceptable deep into your grieving process.

Blessings to You.

Let me know how it’s going by leaving a comment below about how you dealt with this.

xoxo

Additional Notes – Some things that will help along this journey to ease the pain:

If you are having an especially difficult time emotionally, I recommend you speak with a specialist at a hotline near you. Here you will find hotlines all around the world. Trained counselors are there to listen, free of charge, to what’s going on with you. Take advantage of their great kindness. Vent with an objective individual. You don’t have to be ‘suicidal’ to call them, but if you are, that’s the best place to call. Don’t hestitate!

For parents and teens, there is an amazing resource where you can email or text counselors for help at The Boys Town National Hotline! Outstanding assistance for your children and you. You can also dial 988 for assistance.

Visit Julie’s EFT episodes on grief and she will teach you the Emotional Freedom Technique. Her videos calm your spirit and help you release emotional and physical pain as you move forward.

Here are some meditation music to help you rest.

You can order your Bach’s Rescue Remedy from most health food stores, either in person or online. Remember, these do have alcohol in them.

I use the Rescue Remedy 20ml drops but they have spray and other versions which might work better for you. And…they also have products to calm pets, too.

*To find a homeopathic doctor, visit here or here. Many offer phone consultations if you cannot find one in your area. They work with patients around the globe. You can also research in your area of the world.

Grab my free ebook, 21 Things You Need to Know About the Grieving Process, right here on my site.

Please share with anyone who may need this knowledge. Also subscribe, rate and review this podcast on whichever podcast platform you listened in.