My Private Memorial Service
by Lori Pederson After my Mom passed away, we had so many plans to make it became a whirled wind of activity. We had one Memorial Service in California and her burial in South Dakota. Two weeks after my mother passed away, my aunt was killed in a car accident and we had to help make arrangements for her funeral and assist my cousin in getting ready for college. There was really no time to step back and really take in all that was happening. After things had calmed down a bit I decided I needed to do something for myself, something to allow me to grieve. My friend, Pastor Smith allowed me to have a private service in honor of my mother. It was just the two of us. We talked about my mom, I brought in pictures and memories of special moments I spent with my Mom. We prayed together and cried together. It was a special time for me to allow myself to feel the great loss I had just experienced as well as cherish the memories I had of my Mom. It was an healing experience and I am greatly appreciative of Pastor Smith's willingness to be their for me in my time of need.
Adventures in Ballroom Dancing
by Marcy Kelly, Author of From Sorrow to Dancing  A girlfriend and I planned to go to Hollywood Ballroom in Silver Spring, MD for the Friday night Singles Dance. Planning what we would wear was just like being back in high school. She had never done ballroom dancing and I hadn’t danced for many years! What would this adventure be like? Would anyone ask us to dance? Was this “ballroom” in a safe place? What if someone DID ask me to dance.
After that first evening, my friend decided that dancing wasn’t for her and she didn’t want to return to the ballroom. I had quite a dilemma because I wanted to dance but after having been married for so many years, I wasn’t sure that I could actually go to the ballroom by myself. I didn’t know ANYONE at the ballroom. Where would I sit? Would anyone talk to me? What would I do if only unattractive men asked me to dance?
All afternoon prior to the next singles dance, I worried about what I should do. I talked to myself about what I might expect, whether or not I WANTED to try going alone, and I tried to assuage all my fears. Then, I had an idea that made all the difference…I would go alone but with a plan. My plan was that if I wasn’t having a good time for any reason, I would come home. That simple thought gave me the freedom to go to the ballroom by myself. What a liberating thought!
Once I realized that no one else cared if I went dancing or didn’t go, and that I was in charge of what happened with respect to how long I stayed and with whom I danced, my attitude changed. I started going to the ballroom three times a week, Friday and Sunday for the singles dances and Tuesday for dance class.
Getting back into life after a loss seems impossible but if you try something that you love (golf, swimming, crafting, dancing, skiing, tennis, going to the gym, going to yard sales…) you will soon see that your life can be better and you can be happy again.
To read the full story, we invite you to visit Marcy Kelly's Blog
http://marcythecoach.com/blog/widow/adventures-in-ballroom-dancing/
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When my Mom passed away my friends thought it would be a good idea to get me out of the house to have a little fun.
