Never should your heart feel lonely

though I may seem far away.

From a place up in the heavens

As an actor, screenwriter and all around movie fan I was drawn to the film GRAVITY by the promise of seeing another wonderful performance by one of my favorite actresses Sandra Bullock, and what appeared to be, at least from the coming attractions, another visually stunning film by director Alfonso Cuarón. Both of those promises did not fail to be fulfilled.

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. Dalai Lama

Thinking about my son's October 1st death anniversary, it struck me that it was the unlucky 13th anniversary. Now in another situation one might say - it's lucky 13 but, how can anyone ever imagine anything being lucky about a child's death?   

It's nothing new that grief is an intense emotional experience. But we're gaining a better understanding of what consumers, specifically Baby Boomers, are looking for in that experience. They want it balanced.

The following is from a transcript of the Open to Hope Radio program on Aug. 22, 2013, featuring an interview by OTH hosts Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr.

Three knocks at the front door wake me. Two emergency responders greet me with news that my twin daughter is dead. She is 16 years old, me, just 40. An odd clarity washes over me...

The sibling bond is often overlooked when a sibling dies…and siblings do have a very special relationship. When considering grief, it’s the familial relationship least studied. It’s most unfortunate because our children who live often become the “forgotten griever.” And yet, just like us, their lives are not the same because relationships change when a child dies.

I was a woman like many others; focused on my five children and family, living a quiet life on Bainbridge Island in the state of Washington. And then, in August 2004, our lives changed. That night, eight teenagers piled into an SUV and took a midnight joyride. My 16-year-old twin daughter, Sarah, was killed.