Monthly reflections from Kevin Keelen.
Each month, our bereavement minister Kevin Keelen shares a short reflection: a thought, a story, or a gentle companion for wherever you are on your grief journey. New writings appear here as they are published.
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Nature Nurtures
Nature Nurtures The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty…
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Fear Itself
Fear Itself “No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear.” C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed How can someone be here and then not? Even after all my losses, I still can’t wrap my head around it. How can someone be here and then not? When this becomes a reality it…
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Ten Years in the Making
10 YEARS IN THE MAKING-THE STORY OF STEPHY’S PLACE Stephy’s Place Center for Grief and Loss opened our doors in September 2015 hosting one support group. Now ten years later, we have grown to have over 50 separate peer support groups for loss of a spouse, loss of a child, loss of a parent, loss…
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Take Good Care
Take Good Care Self-Care isn’t a new buzzword, nor a new age idea, it’s essential and necessary for healing and living. We constantly talk about self-care in our support groups, and every counselor, therapist, and author emphasize its crucial importance. Many of us grew up learning that if you focused at all on yourself, you…
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The Best Medicine
The Best Medicine My brother-in-law’s passing was immensely sad, completely unexpected, and quite tragic, yet at his wake service, it wasn’t so much the sound of crying (there certainly was that) as much as laughter that emanated from the corners of Thomson Funeral Home. He was a very funny guy. My last words to him,…
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The Converging Holidays
1 The Converging Holidays If it’s not the most wonderful time of the year for you, and you dread the days ahead, you are most certainly not alone. For many people, the holidays can often loom as a horror hanging just over the horizon. These future dates can be so all- consuming that they can…
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Sea Legs
Testing Our Sea Legs We are just about to start our annual July hiatus as Stephy’s Place will be closed until August 6th. For those who volunteer and work at our Center, it is a much-needed break to regroup and rest. For our participants, it is also an opportunity to stand on one’s own and…
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Newly Embarking
Newly Embarking April 12,2024 Kevin J. Keelen If you are unfortunately new to this “journey” of grief, I hope that this reflection can help you in some way, even with just a tad more insight into what you have embarked upon. It isn‟t until we lose a loved one that we “embark” on this roller…
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Signs of
SIGNS OF SPRING March 8, 2024 Kevin J. Keelen With all the gloomy weather, it’s uplifting to see Robins bouncing in the wet grass as well as one of the other first signs of Spring: when the beach chairs and umbrellas arrive at Costco. But this is not a typical springtime reflection. What I call…
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Where the Heavens
I have been working on a book which will feature most of the reflections I’ve been writing for Stephy’s Place, I’m happy to say that it is very near completion to go off to a hopeful publisher. For the next few months, I will be sending you some of those past reflections that I think…