#MondaysMoments

December 2 2019

This month our theme is “It’s a Wonderful Life!” One of my all-time favorite movies is It’s a Wonderful Life! When I was a child, it was shown multiple times each holiday season and every time Zuzu...
By Jackie Hook
Monday, December 2, 2019

November 25 2019

Not only is it important to learn to listen to grievers and others, it is important to learn to listen to ourselves. I appreciate these words from Philip Cousineau: “Ask yourself what is absurd in...
By Jackie Hook
Monday, November 25, 2019

November 18 2019

After I sit and listen to stories of deceased loved ones’ lives, many family members tell me how cathartic the time was. The same sentiment is often shared after personalized and meaningful ceremon...
By Jackie Hook
Monday, November 18, 2019

November 11 2019

Learning to Listen takes practice. In casual conversation, we listen while also thinking about what we’ll say next. Deep listening means our focus is solely on the speaker. We allow them to say wha...
By Jackie Hook
Monday, November 11, 2019

November 4 2019

This month our theme is “Learn to Listen.” We listen to others all day. But do we really listen or do we just hear? In my work as a spiritual director, celebrant and end-of-life doula, listening is...
By Jackie Hook
Monday, November 4, 2019

October 28 2019

This week we’ll look at the social realm of self-care. Alan Wolfelt’s work encourages finding a grief buddy, recognizing that friends will probably change, and remembering that others also had a sp...
By Jackie Hook
Monday, October 28, 2019

October 21 2019

When we think about the cognitive realm of self-care on the grief journey, that too is as unique as we are. Alan Wolfelt recommends answering these two questions: What do I want? What is wanted of ...
By Jackie Hook
Monday, October 21, 2019

Previous Posts

December 11 2023

I wasn’t always comfortable with the concept of, “Dare! Silence.” I grew up in a house with five kids and two parents, so silence was not something that happened often. When I began to practice a s...

December 4 2023

This month’s theme is “Dare! Silence.” Silence is very important throughout our lives, especially on our grief journeys. Silence can be intimidating, and we often try to fill it when we encounter i...

November 27 2023

To close this month, please read Anne Hillman’s poem, “We Look With Uncertainty” as you notice “something new is being born in” you while making new treasured memories. We look with uncertainty be...

November 20 2023

My favorite holidays is Thanksgiving. In terms of the meanings behind other holidays, I’m all in. But I can do without their hype and commercialization. So as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, ...

November 13 2023

As I was writing this month’s posts about our theme of “Memories Become Treasures,” the song “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac started to play. When our youngest child went off to college, this song mad...

November 6 2023

This month’s theme is “Memories Become Treasures.” In a recent grief education and support group I was leading we talked about looking at old photographs of deceased loved ones and how those pictur...

October 30 2023

To close out this month, read these words of poet John O'Donohue: The dead are not distant or absent. They are alongside us. When we lose someone to death, we lose their physical image and presenc...