Articles by Gary Roe
How to Handle the Hits of Life
I once asked a hospice patient what his favorite season was. Without hesitation, he responded, "Football season!" It's that time of year. You can sense it. The atmosphere is permeated with that unique Friday-night-lights, Saturday-tailgating,...
Grieving Teens: How All of Us Can Help
Being a teen is tough. I remember. I know you do too. Teens are hurting, and we can help. While trying to make sense of an increasingly confusing and troubled world, teens get hit, again and again, with moves, separations, divorces, rejections, substance abuse,...
Finding Hope Again
"I'll always grieve, but I'll somehow learn to live again," Will said. Will's son Adam had a complicated childhood. His mom left when he was three. He didn't remember her, but he never got over it. Though Will did a marvelous job as a single parent, Adam struggled....
When You Miss Their Voice
There’s nothing quite like someone’s voice. It’s a signature of sorts. Some voices are like music to our ears. They announce the presence of someone we love and delight in. Just the sound of their voice brings a smile of joy. When someone exits, their voice goes...
Grief, Anxiety, and Panic Attacks
“What’s happening to me?” Maureen asked, her voice trembling. “I’m nervous. I shake inside. I wake up panicky in the middle of the night. I can’t settle down. Yesterday, I had an anxiety attack in the grocery store,” she continued. “I seem to be anxious all the time,...
When the past complicates our grief…
In grief, we sometimes carry extra baggage we're unaware of. Wounds from the past can exert their influence and complicate the present. Grief is tough enough, without this extra weight. A mountain of regret Years ago, I had a serious conversation with a...
We speak their name…
Recently, I had the honor of speaking at Hospice Brazos Valley's Celebration of Life service. Over 200 people came, some with pictures in hand, to pay tribute to and honor loved ones who died over the last year. As I looked out at this sea of faces, I could see the...
What To Do When You Feel Like Screaming…
Ever feel like screaming? With all the losses we get hit with, and all that happens to us and around us, it’s hard to believe we aren’t screaming most of the time. Perhaps we are – silently, in the deep recesses of our hearts. Maybe it’s time we let a little of that...
Weird Symptoms: When Grief Gets Physical
Grief often gets physical. "I have headaches. My back hurts. My stomach bothers me almost every day. I have dizzy spells. I think my body is falling apart," Shirley shared. Seemingly out of the blue, Shirley's daughter Corinne was diagnosed with advanced breast...
Buck up and get over It? Yeah, right.
Buck up and get over it. Yep, we’ve all heard some version of that. If we’re in the middle of a pity party, that might be good advice. If we’re hurting and in the midst of healing, however, it’s not very helpful. “People are telling me to buck up and get over it. Life...
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