Letter from the Editor, July 2003
By Kara L.C. Jones

There is so much information in this month's issue that I don't know where to start! We have some amazingly open and honest poetry this time along with one short story. These writers are really putting the truth of their experiences out on the line here, and I'm so grateful that they felt Kota was a good space for these pieces.

We also have many updates from the MISS Foundation, from the National office as well as from the local chapters in CA, IL, and ID. Also, Kathy Evans from the NJ chapter offers us an article (along with two editor's notes from moi) about how to address the "qualifying" of grief -- you know, when some says something dumb like, "at least you had x-amount of time with your child," or some other thing to qualify the way you feel grief. We also have a plain old "Dumb Things Said" article that is geared more towards the dumb things professionals have said to bereaved parents along the way. Plus we have other articles about taking a solid look at "a different kind of parenthood" and we look at being pro-active when the "death cursed mom" syndrome hits you.

Also, this issue we have two wonderful articles put together from the folks over at the Kota Discussion & Support Group over on Yahoo. We're back with a long page full of quotes about death, dying, and living with grief. Some of those quotes are really miracles in the ways my perspectives shifted after just reading them. Then we have the "Grief Journey Q & A" which I am so please to be bringing to you. Stephanie Marrotek over on the group is hosting this "one question a day" journey where she asks the entire group to consider a question. Everyone is free to post and start discussion. Some of them are giving me permissions to post their answers in a monthly column here. Their answers are heart-breaking, honest, real, and insightful. Hope you'll take a gander.

As always, we hope you find some small bit of help, support, or inspiration for your journey of grief as we learn to live life after the deaths of our children.

Miracles to you,

Kara L.C. Jones, Dakota's Mommy
Editor-In-Chief, KotaPress

This page is dedicated to Dakota
Born and died March 11, 1999

 

Author Biography
Kara lives on Vashon Island which is a much more awesome place than she ever imagined it would be. She is a poet, bookmaker, wife, teacher, mother to a stillborn son, facilitator, tech consult, founder, struggling p.t.barnum, turtle faithful, editor, artist, and a million other things that will prevent you from putting her in any one particular label box! Kara teaches through local art centers, artists in the schools programs, KotaPress and independently. To find out more about her, see:

http://www.KotaPress.com/kara/karajones.htm


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