From Eulogy to Joy: A Heartfelt Anthology

Cynthia Kuhn Beischel

Capital Books, 2002 - Family & Relationships - 548 pages

From Eulogy to Joy is a unique anthology of thought-provoking personal stories shared from the hearts of people who are "experts" on bereavement - because they have experienced grief firsthand. Through the words of 130 people the book reveals that, contrary to popular belief, we never "get over" the death of someone and actually never should. Rather, death is a life-transforming experience to "get through" and eventually "grow through" to a place of inner peace and renewed joy. Among the contributors are Neale Donald Walsch, Judy Belushi, Dr. Rabbi Earl Grollman, and many others.

Contents

• THE FUNERAL AND THE EULOGY Actual eulogies and personal accounts of funerals are presented: 33
• Angels Trumpet In Celebration Of Raymond Lokkens Life 19481997: 34
• Sunstruck: 36
• In Memory Of My Cousin Ray Lokken: 41
• The Spiritual Side Of Grief: 42
• The StarSpangled Receipt: 43
• The Funeral: 44
• The Wake: 50
• A Eulogy For Warren Charles Bonner 19162000: 51
• CHILDRENS DEATHS INFANTS THROUGH ADULTHOOD Parents share their heartache and the experiences they faced while dealing with the los...: 54
• Roma Was Here: 58
• Jeremy: 64
• I Never Heard Him Cry: 67
• Subsequent Pregnancy After The Death Of A Baby: 69
• Cardboard Boxes: 76
• Fall Out: 77
• Released: 80
• THE DEATH OF PARENTS Adults discuss what it means to lose a parent by offering their journeys their feelings of loss of connection and the value...: 82
• Deep Breaths: 85
• In My Fathers House: 89
• The Death Of My Mother And The Death Of Expectations: 90
• Letter To My Father: 93
• Sentimental Journey: 96
• The Ninth Inning Ended: 101
• Grieving For An Unknown Mother: 102
• The Gerbil Funeral: 104
• Together Forever: 105
• SPOUSES MATES AND EXS People address the impact of losing their significant partners: 109
• Why?: 111
• Out Of The Depths: 116
• Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder: 117
• Run Aground: 119
• Learning Through Suffering: 121
• His Shirt: 125
• THE LOSS OF FRIENDS Men and women describe the importance of friendship as they discuss their losses: 127
• Time Stopped: 128
• Anatol: 135
• Jacques Story: 138
• What Does BirdWatching Have To Do With Grief Anyway?: 142
• Martha: 144
• Thank You My Friend: 146
• A Laughers Last Laugh: 148
• WHEN SOMEONE YOU HATE OR ARE ANGRY WITH DIES Brave women tackle the taboo subject of how one deals with the death of a person t...: 152
• Moving Past Bitter: 154
• Walking Toward Kathy: 156
• DEALING WITH UNNATURAL DEATHS Deaths of children and adults by murder suicide and accidents are reflected upon by those who were clos...: 165
• My Life Has Changed: 171
• A Letter To My Sister: 173
• Cry Uncle: 179
• Requiem For An Unbroken Love: 185
• Fat Danny: 192
• Daddys Death: 196
• The Drowning: 199
• Derek: 200
• CHILDRENS PERSPECTIVES The feelings and impressions of death are revealed through the eyes of children: 202
• Only Fear And Grief: 203
• The Gift Of Sacrifice: 204
• How I Accepted Death: 206
• Carrying On: 209
• We Were The Best Of Friends: 213
• Body: 216
• I Love You Dad: 217
• The Child And Death: 218
• THE KNOWN FEELINGS The raw emotions are expressed that appear in the various stages of grief shock denial depression anger guilt and forgive...: 224
• A Fathers Cry: 225
• Metamorphosis: 228
• Natural Parts Of Grief: 230
• Youre Not The One: 232
• Vultures: 234
• Dealing With Dads Death: 238
• Silent Guilt: 239
• Didnt I Close That Chapter?: 242
• Tripwire: 248
• THE IMPORTANCE OF RITUAL AND FAMILY TRADITION The deaths of children parents mates and friends are the basis for poignant stories wh...: 252
• The Earthquake: 254
• A Thanksgiving Legacy: 259
• Changes: 262
• My Grief Garden: 264
• December Thursday: 270
• All Around Us: 273
• GRANTING TIME TO GRIEVE These contributors explore the significance of allowing time to mourn both in predeath and postdeath situations and...: 275
• There Is Life After DeathMine: 279
• Seven Steps Forward One Step Back: 284
• All I Should Have Said: 287
• A Family Perspective: 291
• Like An Eagle Falling: 298
• A Place: 302
• The Mournings Over: 304
• Just Give It Time: 307
• Grief Postponed: 313
• REACHING OUT TO GOD AND SPIRITUALITY The role of faith is shown to be helpful and sustaining during the grieving process: 316
• Dealing With Death: 318
• The Last Embrace: 321
• The Gaining Of Faith Through: 323
• Tears Of Healing: 326
• The Falling Star: 327
• La Montana Se MoviōThe Mountain Moved: 332
• My Darkest Hour: 338
• Alone With The Lord: 343
• JOURNALING Journaling proves to be a useful tool for coping with the stress and difficult emotions that follow the death of loved ones: 345
• Random Thoughts And Fleeting Images: 352
• Excerpts From My Journal: 354
• The Touching Wall: 363
• Entries From Eternity: 365
• A Symphony Of Mourning In Four Movements: 368
• From The Eyes Of A Child: 376
• THE GIFT OF SUPPORT The comfort received from support of family friends and groups plays a significant role in the healing process of the berea...: 383
• Help With Healing: 390
• Living Through Suicide: 391
• Time Heals All: 393
• Angel In Our Family: 396
• The Hope Group: 400
• THE ROLE OF CAREGIVERS Professionals discuss the impact of helping others who are dying or who have lost a loved one: 407
• The Nature Of Death: 410
• Reaching Out: 411
• Romas Purpose: 415
• Living With The Grief Of Alzheimers Disease: 419
• A Job Of Love: 424
• ALTERNATIVE ORIENTATIONS TOWARD DEATH The benefit of metaphysical approaches to healing when the death of a beloved one is presen...: 429
• Journey: 432
• Big Picture Premonitions: 438
• What Do We Know?: 439
• Cloud Dream: 444
• Letting Go Of My Dad: 445
• A Final Gift: 448
• Allans Words channeled: 453
• Messages From Michael: 459
• MEMORIALS Touching stories explain how donor gifts helped soothe the pain from loss: 466
• The Gift Of Blood: 469
• Joes Story: 470
• My Wifes Wishes: 472
• TRANSITION TO JOY With time and humor things do get better: 474
• The Gift Of Significance: 475
• Crying Too Shall End: 476
• Window of Life: 479
• Reflections Of A Typical Day In August: 480
• The First Laugh: 483
• JOY And finally an upbeat note allowing those in the early stages of grieving to see that in fact there can be good times ahead: 485
• The Gift: 492
• Tears Wonder And Joy Upon The Transition Of My Father: 494
• Missing Ben: 497
• The Time Has Come the Walrus said: 501
• Mourning Turned To Dancing: 507
• Dannys Gift: 510
• Better Than Ive Ever Been: 514
• CLOSING STATEMENT: 517
• THE COVER STORY: 519
• BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS: 525

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About the author

Cynthia Kuhn Beischel became a widow and single mother when her husband drowned. She conceived the idea for "From Eulogy to Joy" to offer support, information, and hope to other grieving individuals. She is the author of "Discover the Past," a history for children and their families about Cincinnati. Kristina Chase Strom has worked in the fields of the verbal and visual arts for thirty years. She is the mother of four daughters and lives outside Cincinnati.

Bibliographic information

• Title: From Eulogy to Joy: A Heartfelt Anthology; Capital Cares Series
• Author: Cynthia Kuhn Beischel
• Editor: Kristina Chase Strom
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Capital Books, 2002
• ISBN: 189212341X, 9781892123411
• Length: 548 pages
• Subjects: Family & Relationships / Death, Grief, Bereavement; Self-Help / Death, Grief, Bereavement