Thanksgivings to me wasn't really difficult to deal with after losing my father. Father's day was more traumatic. Father's Day is all about dad and Thanksgiving is more about family. While I didn't have a father , I still had family. Thanksgiving, and holidays in general became more difficult when I was deployed to the Middle East and not able to be with family. This weeks call to action: find a we to make dealing with the loss of your loved one a little easier to deal with (if that's possible.)...
Nov 23, 2016•19 min
Sometimes I think we try to protect children too much from mental any psychological pain. I think loosing at thing like sports may ultimately help with dealing with the loss of a loved one. This week's call to action: Try to incorporate your loved on into you holiday season. Click here to subscribe via iTunes Click here to subscribe via RSS Click here to subscribe via Stitcher Click here to listen via iHeart Radio Contact me using any of following: email - darwyn@dealingwithmygrief.com twitter -...
Nov 16, 2016•22 min
This has been one of the nastiest Presidential campaign season on record. Voters like grievers have choices. This week's call to action: Choose to do something to confront your grief. Click here to subscribe via iTunes Click here to subscribe via RSS Click here to subscribe via Stitcher Click here to listen via iHeart Radio Contact me using any of following: email - darwyn@dealingwithmygrief.com twitter - http://www.twitter.com/dealwithgrief web - http:// www.dealingwithmygrief.com Music provide...
Nov 09, 2016•16 min
If you have ever used Microsoft Windows or almost any application within Windows, you'll find a few similarities: There are several ways to accomplish the same task Sometimes things go awry when we are trying to move forward and accomplish certain goals How can I determine which way is best for me to confront my grief and who do I pivot when I get stuck and can't seem to move forward. This weeks call to action: Evaluate the different methods you have at your disposal to help you deal with grief,...
Nov 02, 2016•23 min
After lying in bed all weekend and watching Netflix, I have realized that I've used my father's death as the reason I haven't been able to achieve certain things in life or the reason why I've had to deal with certain things alone in my life. I refuse to use his death as an excuse any longer. I can get through life's challenges in spite of the fact he is no longer here. This weeks call to action: don't let grief be an excuse for you you can't seem to get through life's challenges. Click here to ...
Oct 26, 2016•22 min
This week's episode is a little shorter as I am dealing with a cold and I'm not feeling well. This week I look back a t two Disney films; Bambi and the Lion King and how I used just focus on death and not the the entire story of lifed death and the rebirth that the main characthers in the movie had to face. I also realizes that not every Disney film deals with these themes, and for non-grievers, that might be a Disney movie whose theme describes Your life story up to this point in your life. Cli...
Oct 19, 2016•13 min
This episode is inspired by a piece of feedback I received from a listener in response to last week's call to action to tell me something positive as a result of your grief. Thanks so much for the kind words about the podcast it appreciated... The listener stated that they have had a hard time getting support from their friends during the recent loss of 2 individuals in their life. This week I tackle the subject of why friends may "disappear" during the grieving process. Maybe they don't know ho...
Oct 12, 2016•19 min
This episode is dedicated to the memory of Emmett Till. I recently had the opportunity to visit the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. It is an amazing museum that you must see if you ever visit the area. You'll need tickets to get in, but they are free. Here is the link to order timed passes: https://nmaahc.si.edu/visit/passes Emmett Till was a 14 year old African-American boy who was killed for whistling at a white woman in a store in Money, ...
Oct 05, 2016•19 min
When I thing about the phrase, "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger", I can apply this to my life... literally! After seeing my father's lifeless body in the store owned by my parents after his death, and wondering if things might be different if my mother and I would have stayed at the store for an additional 30-45 minutes, I use this as a source of strength in my life. Nothing will every be as bad as it was when he died. My mother had to come up with a Plan B. I have learned to face...
Sep 28, 2016•16 min
Once my father died I lived in fear believing the men responsible for his death eventually would come for me. I let this fear permeate other aspects of my life until I learned to confront it and find ways to embrace it and move on. This week's call to action: Link logically, sometimes emotions can cloud our judgement. Think things through before making decisions. Click here to subscribe via iTunes Click here to subscribe via RSS Click here to subscribe via Stitcher Click here to listen via iHear...
Sep 21, 2016•22 min
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the television show Star Trek, I am reminded that sometimes thinking like a half Vulcan, half Human is not necessarily a bad thing. This week's call to action: Link logically, sometimes emotions can cloud our judgement. Think things through before making decisions. Click here to subscribe via iTunes Click here to subscribe via RSS Click here to subscribe via Stitcher Click here to listen via iHeart Radio Contact me using any of following: email - darwyn@de...
Sep 14, 2016•14 min
I wouldn't be who I am today without going through the pain that was losing my father. Starting this podcast only make me wish I had started capturing how I felt a lot earlier in life. This week's call to action: Start chronicling your grief journey. Start a diary, blog or even your own podcast. Make a point to rered it later and discover if and how different you may be know. Click here to subscribe via iTunes Click here to subscribe via RSS Click here to subscribe via Stitcher Click here to lis...
Sep 07, 2016•19 min
I wasn't able to get to my Aunt Wanda's funeral... I simply spent too much money getting back and forth to St. Louis spending time with family before/after my uncle passed away, I'm just financially drained. The focus of this week's show in dealing with the death of celebrities, more specifically the lives of 3 individuals - (Click their name for information about them): Darwyn Cooke Prince Muhammad Ali In some way, big or small, the lives of each of these individuals touched me in some way. Som...
Aug 31, 2016•18 min
After spending some time away and getting emotionally recharged, I received news that my aunt passed away. While her health had been back and forth for some time, I really didn't think that she would be gone so soon as she passed one day shy of her 74th birthday. This episode is dedicated to my Aunt Wanda. I love you dearly! This week's call to action: spend more time with the elderly. Click here to subscribe via iTunes Click here to subscribe via RSS Click here to subscribe via Stitcher Click h...
Aug 24, 2016•16 min
Sometimes making it through the day is difficult. There's only one thing that gets me through. Some days when I think about my father and most recently my uncle who passed away I think about and the many memories we shared and it's hard to imagine life without them. Sometimes I wonder how I'm going to make it through the day, who is going to be there to give me guidance concerning whatever issues might come my way. I'm then reminded of something my grandfather used to say to me... Any day you wa...
Aug 17, 2016•13 min
Recently I had the opportunity to watch the 'Peanuts Movioe' and reflect on the character of Charlie Brown - a guy who never seems to give up regardless of how many times things just don't work out. He never seems to be able to muster up the courage to talk to the red haired girl. In the Peanuts Movie, he does in fact talk to her, but in his efforts to impress her, things just don't seem to work out - book report he writes for her. He is the captain of a baseball team that never wins a game. Yet...
Aug 10, 2016•13 min
There was no episode last week as I'm just returning from being with family after losing an uncle a couple of weeks ago. Rest In Peace, Uncle Luther. In remembering the live's of my father and my uncle, I sometimes realize that I shy away from things that we used to do together, because... well we can no longer do them together! I've changed my attitude, however. I will embrace the things we did together. My uncle like going to the race track, my father like taking long drives. I am going to att...
Aug 03, 2016•8 min
This episode is dedicated to my Uncle Luther who passed away on July 17, 2016. After learning my uncle had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, I had the opportunity to spend a few days with him a couple of weeks ago. We took a trip down memory lane and I'll share a few memories in this episode. Even though I knew the time would come, I wasn't mentally prepared deal with his death. It's only been 3 days, and I miss him already. His funereal will be the first time I've seen many family members in ...
Jul 20, 2016•14 min
This episode is inspired by 3 events that have occurred in the since last week's show: - The shooting of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, LA - The shooting of Philandro Castile in Falcon Heights, MN - The subsequent shooting of 11 police officers in Dallas I was reluctant to talk about my story of grief because I didn't want to listen to others talk about theirs. I would compare the two and not give any credibility to your grief if your loved one didn't meet some violent end. Simply put, your narr...
Jul 13, 2016•17 min
If you suppress grief too much, it can well redouble. - Molière The whole reason behind this podcast is the tell my story of how I deal with death, loss, grief and bereavement; specifically the loss of my father when I was still a young child. It is my way of letting go of the things that I had bottled up for so long. But why did I wait so long to get this burden of of my chest? 1. I felt that I would be a burden to others who were also dealing with my fathers' loss. 2. Real men don't cry! 3. I ...
Jul 06, 2016•15 min
When people talk about the "new normal"during the grieving process, they talk about the the person that you become after the loss of someone special in your life. But it this "new" you really ever going to be normal? This episode is inspired by Dave Jackson of the "School of Podcasting." Dave's podcast helped me get my podcaast. One of the segment of his show is called 'Because of my Podcast', where different podcast producers share stories of how podcasting has changed their lives. This week, D...
Jun 29, 2016•19 min
As I reflect on Father's day, there are a few things that make me angry about my father's loss: 1. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. 2. I didn't get a chance to "hang out" at father-son event's during high school 3. My son will never have a relationship with his grandfather 4. I simply didn't have enough time of my own with my father. I'm still trying to deal with these angry feelings i Have, but I haven't really discovered the best way to do so. Please rate and review in iTunes - Thanks! Co...
Jun 22, 2016•11 min
There was no episode last week. I had an emergency eye procedure that Monday - the regular day I record the show and Tuesday was my son's high school graduation. With family in town and trying to recover health wise. I just couldn't find/make time to record the show. Now on the this week's episode... As mentioned earlier, my son graduated from high school this week and this Sunday is Father's Day (June 19th). I wanted to reflect on how my grief affects my ability to appreciate/celebrate holidays...
Jun 15, 2016•14 min
How do we interpret things people say while grieving? To grievers, a lot of things that people say to be comforting may not be comforting at all: "I'm sorry for your loss" "Your loved one is in a better place" But as grievers, is there anything that we say, that can seem insensitive? Click here to rate and review in iTunes. Contact me using any of following: email - darwyn@dealingwithmygrief.com twitter - http://www.twitter.com/dealwithgrief web - http:// www.dealingwithmygrief.com Music provide...
Jun 01, 2016•12 min
The only cure for grief is action - George Henry Lewes This is really the third in a series of episodes that discusses this topic. I was just able to find a quote that perfectly sums it up! The other episodes are 15 and 17. I have found that staying busy - being active, is the main way that I keep my grief from totally consuming me. I think I learned this from my mother because she had to get busy right away in making sure that she had a job so she could put food on the table and make sure she c...
May 25, 2016•14 min
Sorry this episode is a day late, but this virus that has been going around has been kicking my butt... I finally found 25 minutes or so when I wasn't coughing to finish this episode... At some point after your loss, you have to begin to move forward - this means you have to begin to re-establish some routine in your life. That could be going back to school or work, or getting back into the workforce after not working for a very long time. Maybe its getting back into a hobby. What I have learned...
May 19, 2016•17 min
One of my best friends just lost his wife unexpectedly. I often ask myself what I can do to help those who are grieving. I tend not to to the cliche things such as food and flowers. Sometimes the best thing that I can offer is a listening ear. Contact me using any of following: email - darwyn@dealingwithmygrief.com twitter - http://www.twitter.com/dealwithgrief web - http:// www.dealingwithmygrief.com Music provided by Oren Levine (oren@ohljazz.com)...
May 11, 2016•12 min
Shortly after my father died, I was introduced to the game of chess. Any one who knows me, knows that I am passionate about this game... but they may not know why. It is through playing chess that I was able to connect with friends of my father and learn more about the man that he was. It also provided me some "me" time away from my friends This brings me some sense of comfort. Contact me using any of following: email - darwyn@dealingwithmygrief.com twitter - http://www.twitter.com/dealwithgrief...
May 04, 2016•8 min
After the death on my father, my grandfather would become the central male figure in my life. He would be diagnosed with diabetes and later cancer and I would take great pride in helping to care for him. When it was time for me to head off to college, I would decide to head to the east coast - against my grandfather's wishes. We would have the only argument ever to take place between us and I would wait to late to make amends. Before I could return home to talk to him in person, he would be gone...
Apr 27, 2016•12 min
The week and a half between April 14 - April 25 is a very painful and often stressful time for me: My father's birthday is April 14. He would be 81 this year My father died on April 24. This marks the 38 anniversary of his death. May parents wedding anniversary is April 25. This year marks their 52nd anniversary. In an attempt to keep things from getting totally out of hand, I try to remember some good times with my father... which does bring me some joy and comfort. Link to Hawaii Five-0 origin...
Apr 20, 2016•15 min
