Dealing with Grief and Fears

I am usually a very reasonable person. I taught mathematics, for heaven’s sake, and that is the most logical science in the world! But I was afraid. It was such an irrational fear that I was embarrassed to admit it…

Twenty years of marriage is a milestone worth celebrating. My late husband, Tom, and I had grand plans – a dreamy Caribbean cruise, soaking in the sun, and the love we had built over two decades. “I’m the luckiest guy to have married you, Kathleen! And I’m gonna love you…

Loss comes in many forms. Some losses are tangible, like the passing of a loved one, while others are intangible – difficult to define and often harder to grieve. Ambiguous loss is one such experience: the profound sense of mourning for someone who is still alive. It’s a grief…

Beginning this new year, I had a short list of ideas and topics to record for a new round of videos for my “Aha Moments with Joanie” series. I had mentally prepared the first episode of 2025 around the subject of not letting small setbacks color…

The Silver Agony Aunt responds to these question: “How do you make sure assisted living is the best possible option for a loved one, and how can you overcome feeling regret over some decisions, even though you did the best you could at the time?”

At the end of every year, when my “valversary” rolls around, I’m grateful all over again. I had open-heart surgery for a mitral valve repair in December 2014, and the gratitude for good health ever since drives me to “pay it forward.” We all know the vast time…

Two of the most powerful emotions we can experience are love and fear. They shape our choices, energy, stress levels, relationships and long-term health. Fear protects us and helps us to avoid pain and uncertainty. Love, on the other hand, opens…

After my husband died, I moved into a condo to pursue my new life. I recently threw a housewarming party to which 50 people from different parts of my acquaintance came. I hugged each one, offered a drink, and ran off to welcome the next one…

My son died unexpectedly in December of 2018. After the flurry of activity and visitors surrounding his funeral service, I found myself alone in the house we had so joyfully shared. I was still in the throes of trauma, not capable of deciding or doing much. It was the dead of…

Some call it “the happiest time of the year,” but it can feel like jingle hell for others. The holiday season has always been a time of joy and celebration, when families come together to share laughter, love, and create lasting memories. But for those who have lost a…