#BreathingforJared Archives - Hope For Widows Foundation

A Different Thanksgiving This Year

by Carla Duff in Grief, Healing, Holidays, Hope for Widows, Hope for Widows Foundation, Loss, Love, Widow, Young Widow
November 26, 2019

For the first time, I’ll be spending Thanksgiving with my new husband’s family. My family always traveled on this holiday. Went on an adventure. That has been our Thanksgiving tradition for years...travel somewhere new and eat local food. This is ...

Holidays Are Hard For Widows

by Carla Duff in Grief, Healing, Holidays, Hope for Widows, Hope for Widows Foundation, Loss, Solo Parenting, Widow, Young Widow
November 15, 2019

The holidays are fast approaching. And for me and a lot of widows, it’s a difficult time. The holidays are supposed to be festive, joyous, happy times. But when your person is dead, they feel anything but festive. For ...

Solo Parenting: Sometimes A Boy Needs His Dad

by Carla Duff in Children and Grief, Emotions, Grief, Hope for Widows, Hope for Widows Foundation, Loss, Memories, Solo Parenting, Widow, Young Widow
August 19, 2019

Parents love their children in a manner that cannot be explained. A love that makes you willing to give your life for someone else. A love that makes your own happiness less important than theirs. A love that parents understand ...

Love Shared Is Multiplied, Not Divided

by Carla Duff in #hope, Dating, Grief Journey, Healing, Hope for Widows, Hope for Widows Foundation, joy, Widow, Young Widow
June 30, 2019

I have been thinking about love. And how it changes. Changes people. Changes relationships. Changes over time. Love changed my life 21 years ago when I met Jared and again 2.5 years ago when I met Jon. Compared to ...

Driving Through Life

by Carla Duff in Children and Grief, Grief, Grief Journey, Healing, Healing Happens, Hope for Widows, Hope for Widows Foundation, Loss, Solo Parenting, Widow, Young Widow
June 24, 2019June 25, 2019

A month ago my son turned 15 and received his driving permit. And now it is my responsibility to teach him how to drive. A job I would love for his dad to be able to do. When my husband ...

I Want To Scream F*** You Father’s Day

by Carla Duff in Children and Grief, Emotions, Grief, Grief Journey, Holidays, Hope for Widows, Hope for Widows Foundation, Loss, Widow, Young Widow
June 14, 2019

I hate Father's Day. As a solo widowed mom, Father's Day is one of the days I dread most. It's harder than his birthday. Harder than his angelversary. Harder than our wedding anniversary. Because it's a reminder that my son's ...

I Am A Free Bird

by Carla Duff in Coping Mechanisms, Early Mourning, Grief, Grief Journey, Healing, Healing Happens, Hope for Widows, Hope for Widows Foundation, Loss, Widow, Young Widow
May 31, 2019

When my husband was dying, the only thing he requested was that Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd be played at his graveside service. It was not the song I would’ve expected him to request. Jared was a huge, huge Led Zeppelin ...

Five Days of Grief in Five Weeks: My Own Personal Grief Hell

by Carla Duff in Emotions, Grief, Grief Journey, Healing, Healing Happens, Hope for Widows, Hope for Widows Foundation, Loss, Love, Widow, Young Widow
May 13, 2019

I can't help but dread this time of year. Most people would think it would be the anniversary of Jared's death. But the five weeks from Mother’s Day to Father's Day are some of the most difficult days for me. ...

It’s All His Fault

by Carla Duff in #husband, Grief, Grief Journey, Healing, Hope for Widows, Hope for Widows Foundation, Loss, Widow, Young Widow
February 22, 2019

“It’s all his fault.” That is a phrase I have often uttered in my house since my late husband died. Something breaks, it’s Jared’s fault because he’s not here to fix it. If something goes wrong, it’s Jared’s fault ...

Thanksgiving Memories: Old and New

by Carla Duff in Grief, Grief Journey, Healing, Holidays, Hope for Widows, Hope for Widows Foundation, Loss, Love, Memories, Widow, Young Widow
November 21, 2018

Thanksgiving is a time of so many great memories. So many Thanksgiving adventures for me to look back on and smile. We have never been a traditional Thanksgiving kind of family. For us, Thanksgiving equals travel. Adventure. Exploring ...

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