On February 1st of 2004, I lost a daughter to a rare bone marrow disease known as Fanconi’s (aplastic) Anemia. She died at home, surrounded by her loving family, as we pushed her over the edge with one morphine cocktail after another to ease her transition into the afterlife. At the time, it was one of the most difficult things I had ever had to experience. Fifteen months later to the day, my wife killed herself as a result, the difference in how we coped with Niki’s death and ultimately whether we survived it, came down to a difference of perspective. (more…)

Courtesy of @mbennz on Instagram.

Things people say in an effort to comfort us when we are stressed or feeling down, such as “It is always darkest before the dawn” are intended to make us feel better… to make us “see the light” and realize that whatever darkness we are experiencing at the moment “that this too shall pass” but more often than not, these well intended catch phrases have the unintended effect of causing us to spiral further down the rabbit hole of our self-imposed misery. (more…)