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Reconnecting Through Obituaries
Since I'm the only one of my siblings living in the town we grew up in – Atlanta – I am often the bearer of sad passings of friends from our childhoods. I monitor the obituaries daily and often send one to them, knowing they will be interested: A best friend's elderly mother, a favorite teacher, a boyfriend's dad and, just this week, an old boyfriend himself. "He was the first boy I ever kissed," my sister Wendy said. "It was very awkward. I had just gotten braces and neither one of us quite…See More
Since I'm the only one of my siblings living in the town we grew up in – Atlanta – I am often the bearer of sad passings of friends from our childhoods. I monitor the obituaries daily and often send one to them, knowing they will be interested: A best friend's elderly mother, a favorite teacher, a boyfriend's dad and, just this week, an old boyfriend himself.
As the St. Louis Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks play their opening game of the 2013 season on April Fools’ Day, there is a “team” of fans who will be watching with particular nostalgia. The grown children of 
Funeral and memorial services can be “by the book” with very little personal input or take-aways for friends and family, but, increasingly, eulogies may include some pointers on moving forward.
One of my resolutions this year is A Drawer A Day – trying to weed through and edit out clutter – clothes, kitchen utensils, books, cosmetics, candles, shoes, scarves, CDs, old tax returns and even photographs. You know how you might have five versions of the same photo, with only slight variations? I now sit in front of the fire and MAKE myself pick one!
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Hi Susan;
I just joined the group today and I thought you would be helpful in my situation. I was adopted as an infant and my adoptive father just passed away on Dec. 1, 2011. I was "deleted" from the obit by the rest of the biological family.
I was born as an addicted baby and almost died. This left me with disabilities that I struggle to overcome on a daily basis, but with a little help and a lot of encouragement and compassion from friends and in-laws (I got married 2 yrs. ago) I have been doing well in life. They have been an encouragement to me with their positive reinforcement, which is a whole lot more productive than in finger-pointing and criticism, which I had experienced all my life.
Despite having knowledge of my disabilities, the family who adopted me made demands of me that I was never able to attain and because I didn't "measure up" to those expectations, they declared me as a disappointment, as though I were deliberately trying to "hurt" them.
Two Christmases ago, they wrote me off. I tried to visit my dad in the hospital before he passed away, but was not permitted to do so by his biological family. The grief of his death has been made more profound by this rejection, by not being included in the obituary in the paper, and by having been banned from attending the funeral. The family told me that as far as they're concerned I am dead to them.
~*Kristina*~
Hey Susan, just stopping by to say be encourage, You are in my prayers, be bless and have a wonderful day.
Carl