15 Comments
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Lucy Anderton's avatar

I had never thought about grief as being something that cracks us open to new experiences, only as being a closing experience--turning one's back on the world. Thank you for this new understanding. It helps me face the future, which contains the inevitable of loss after loss.

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Elizabeth Kopple's avatar

Thanks so much for reading Lucy!

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Marjorie Pezzoli's avatar

The gifts of grief makes this journey more bearable. I started writing poetry in 2018 after I found Alyssa’s nearly empty poetry journal.

The Creative Process keeps me going.

The had no idea about this event.

Is there a mailing list to join to find out about future events?

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Elizabeth Kopple's avatar

Hi Marjorie - Thanks so much for your comment. I think the event could have been more broadly marketed...I would suggest following Meghan here https://www.instagram.com/meghan.riordan.jarvis/

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Patty Asaad's avatar

Thought-provoking insights. I have a question, could you give an example of what part of a memory to keep private? It makes sense, but an example would help me.

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Elizabeth Kopple's avatar

Hi Patty - Each author seemed to feel that they were still entitled to some privacy in their relationship with their spouse. That might be a love name, a funny story, how they met, or something more intimate. Whatever it was, they left that out of their writing.

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Jessica Fein's avatar

So glad to have met you there.

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Elizabeth Kopple's avatar

So honored to meet you Jessica. I'm excited to start "Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes" on my Kindle.

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Stacy Crinks's avatar

Thanks for being so brave and open in order to help others. Your “messages that most resonated” are profound. Experiencing your work, I am learning and stretching in some small way too. Thank you for inviting me to be part of your grief. Hugs.

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Elizabeth Kopple's avatar

Thank you so much Stacy. Really honored to share with you.

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Mary Leopold's avatar

Thank you so much for posting this. I very much wanted to go to this event but couldn't make it happen. I am so grateful to read your insights about the wonderful weekend with my favorite authors and grief movers and shakers.

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Elizabeth Kopple's avatar

Thank you Mary. Maybe we can meet up at the next Grieftastic event.

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Mary Leopold's avatar

If they have it again, I would love to try and make it. I wish it were closer to Chicago!

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Linda Carlson Brooks's avatar

Sounds like a great gathering of people who truly understand. I’ve found sharing in grief with other parents who lost a child is some of the best medicine for my soul. That level of compassion and empathy is only possible if you have gone through the unthinkable. Those who haven’t lost a child can’t possibly understand the depth of the pain. And in fact, it’s just too painful for most and a natural defense is to convince yourself “that can’t ever happen to us.” Until it does.

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Elizabeth Kopple's avatar

It was absolutely that kind of event Linda. I'm excited to read these books and share the highlights. Sending love to you and your family.

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