Category Archives: Dealing with Pain & Grief

What Matters To Me

Posted on September 25, 2012 by russtowne

This post is dedicated to anyone who is in the midst of struggle, heartache, pain, and grief. Dark days of any kind. And especially to those who are searching for their gifts, for the meaning of life, or even the … Continue reading →

Posted in Challenges, Choices, Dealing with Pain & Grief, Growth/Learning, Pain & Grief | Tagged choices, choose, father, fiance', gift, gifts, Grief, heartache, lessons, Life, living, lung, lungs, Mother, pain, reason for living, share, struggle, student, student of life, surgery, Whooping Cough, wisdom, wise, wisely | 30 Comments

Loyalty That Knows No Bounds

Posted on September 13, 2012 by russtowne

I just read a most amazing story about a dog named Capitan who has kept watch over his human’s grave for six years. While that’s incredible all by itself, there’s more to this story. A LOT more. When his human … Continue reading →

Posted in Dealing with Pain & Grief, Dogs & Other Wonderful Creatures, Friendship, Love, Stories That Touched Me | Tagged Argentina, Capitan, deceased, Dog, Friend, loyal, Loyalty | 11 Comments

The Worst Kind Of Loneliness

Posted on September 2, 2012 by russtowne

Most people have been touched by the tragedy of suicide. That saddens me for the person and for the world that is deprived of their gifts. I don’t know what the total answer to that tragedy is, but I’ll bet … Continue reading →

Posted in Dealing with Pain & Grief, Healing, Loneliness, Making the World a Better Place, Observations | Tagged acid, corrosive acid, faith, false friends, Feel, friends, gift, give, giving, Hope, kind, kindness, loneliness, Love, pain, powe, powerful, share, spirit, suicide | 44 Comments

Getting Back Up

Posted on August 21, 2012 by russtowne

A friend sent this saying and I thought I’d share it with you: “There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. Surround yourself with people who make you laugh, … Continue reading →

Posted in Action, Attittude, Challenges, Courage, Dealing with Pain & Grief, Observations, Patience & Persistence, Quotes I Love | Tagged challenges, critical, difference, game, getting backup, good, laugh, Love, right, surviving, thriving, treat | 16 Comments

To Give Light

Posted on August 9, 2012 by russtowne

Seen at wordsmith.org: “What is to give light must endure burning.” -Viktor Frankl, author, neurologist and psychiatrist, Holocaust survivor (1905-1997) Of all of his qualifications I believe it is being a “Holocaust survivor” that makes him most qualified to make … Continue reading →

Posted in Compassion, Dealing with Pain & Grief, Observations, Quotes I Love | Tagged holocaust, light, pain, Victor Frankl, wordsmith.org | 4 Comments

Hurtin’ For Certain

Posted on August 8, 2012 by russtowne

We all carry heavy loads, and I know that some of your loads are far heavier than mine, so this isn’t intended as a “Woe Is Me” post (though it may sound like it). I have Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Dealing with Pain & Grief, Pain & Grief | Tagged d, intense, pain, shock, Suicide Disease, TN, Trigeminal Neuralgia | 29 Comments

Being There

Posted on August 3, 2012 by russtowne

Many of the most powerful moments in my life, the times I feel the most alive, the most useful, and the most connected to everyone and everything are those times I am there when someone needs me the most. Just … Continue reading →

Posted in Anger, Challenges, Dealing with Pain & Grief, Fear, Gratitude | Tagged Being there, connected, fear, Grief, pain, safe, safe space, spirit | 16 Comments

The Toughest Nuts To Crack

Posted on July 29, 2012 by russtowne

A friend commented on my post “The Bond” mentioning the human element of the people on the wrong side of the law. I wanted to share my response to her with all of you and expanded it a bit for … Continue reading →

Posted in Choices, Courage, Dealing with Pain & Grief, Healing, Making the World a Better Place | Tagged courage, fierce, fierce love, Friend, futures, Love, pain, prison | 8 Comments

In Such Awareness Gratitude Grows

Posted on July 27, 2012 by russtowne

I believe that most people could come up with a list of hundreds of blessings if they took the time to think about them. Some of my greatest blessings sure didn’t feel like blessings at the time they happened. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Abundance, Dealing with Pain & Grief, Gratitude, LIfe Lessons, Observations, Pain & Grief | Tagged beloved, blessings, devastating, disasters, failuers, fiance', gratitdue, Grief, heart-breaks, pain | 9 Comments

I Love Happy Endings

Posted on July 20, 2012 by russtowne

Remember that bullied bus monitor? People from around the world have donated $700,000 to her to send a message that they’ve had enough of bullies and that most people aren’t bullies. Here’s a URL or link to a beautiful story … Continue reading →