Father Loss

Don’t Talk About How ‘It Gets Better’

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This is what I wish my friends knew when my parents died.

When You’re Everyone’s Favorite Grief Doula

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The first of my friends to lose a parent, I stand at the ready welcoming others into the club no one wants to join.

‘Querida Amor’

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My father was scary to me except on Valentine’s Day. When he died, those treacly annual expressions of fatherly love went with him.

Manhattan skyline - Modern Loss

Welcome to New York

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Suddenly worth half a million dollars through the dumb luck of my dad's death, I rooted myself to a new and unfamiliar home.

A Year of Grief, 15 Seconds at a Time

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After my dad's murder, Instagram served as both my grief counselor and a surprising professional outlet.

Grief Bacon: Breastfeeding Through My Grief

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After Dad died, my body felt numb, but my breasts soldiered on.

The Pittsburgh of My Dreams

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By day, I am aware that 23 years have passed since my father’s death. When I close my eyes, it’s a different story.

My Childhood’s Signature Scent

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The smell of tobacco brings my late father — and his favorite vice — back into my airspace.

Just Sit (and Other Simple Steps to Meditate Your Way Through Grief)

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My dad's meditation advice helped me to cope with his death -- and more. Here's how it can help you, too.

My Dad Was Dying While I Was Divorcing

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I vowed never to speak with my ex-husband again. Then my father was diagnosed with leukemia.

On Father’s Day, Grief Tastes Like Berry Cobbler

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When Dad was here, we made olallieberry jam on Father’s Day. Now that he’s gone, our sweet tradition has evolved. 

The Big Question and the Perfect Answer

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It isn't easy asking a dying person what they believe comes next. But my philosopher dad knew just what to say.

Dad-Die Issues

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Death brings up so many feelings and conversations. Plans to be made. Legacies to cement. I had none of that.

Time Machine in a Timepiece

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In telling me he wanted me to have his beloved watch, Dad was also letting me know his days were numbered.

Purple Rain on Father’s Day

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My dad and the rock star Prince had everything and nothing in common. This is the time of year I feel their absence most acutely.

Does Moving Away Mitigate Grief?

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Thousands of miles now separate me from the landmarks of my memories with Dad. Here's what the distance has changed — and what it hasn't.

Vacant Seats

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I heard about Justice Scalia’s death at one of my last dinners with my beloved, if complicated, father. Months on, as the justice’s seat sat unfilled, so did Dad’s.

What to Keep When Someone Dies

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Banish guilt, set concrete limits, and other rules for figuring out what to save, store, and donate.

Rebecca Odes for Modern Loss

DNA and Middle C

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My son's resemblance to my father was always striking. But after my dad died, it took on new meaning.

Father's Day listicle

Random Acts of Dadness

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From rejecting perfectly good restaurant food to donating to worthy causes, I'm spending the first Father's Day after my dad's death trying to emulate his character.

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