Greetings. I’ve decided to join you as a member of Fathers Forever, and I look forward to meeting each of you.

When talking with Craig and hearing him describe this blog, it reminded me of something I wanted very much to do after Susan (my wife) and I lost Warren in 1987. Between my being in the magazine publishing industry, my passion for it, and my great need and desire for pouring out my feelings and thoughts over the loss of our first child, I envisioned a magazine titled “Tides…Riding the Waves of Change.” I thought it would be good for me to write and good for others who experienced loss to read.

I was struck by something I saw at the end of a grief support group for parents like you and me. Susan and I went twice. The 14 or so attending sat in a large circle. At the end of the hour of discussion, mourning and tears, the last thing the counselor did was kick-out with her right foot a box full of books on the subject of grieving. As the box glided across the floor to the center, she invited us to help ourselves, and in a flash, half of the group pounced on the box. So many greatly yearned to read.

Over the years, I’ve read some, yet something in me prefers to write. So, I told Craig I would contribute regularly to this blog with some of the thoughts and questions that are as relevant today as they were 20 years ago, as well as with perspectives on the issues particularly keen to you in your ongoing walk.

Now it occurs to me, I never wrote anything to Warren. What would I write? Where would I begin?

“Dear Warren, my son, the only time I held you was when you were dying. You didn’t even live a few hours beyond birth. But my love for you lives on and always will.”

I think it will be good for me to finally write him a letter.

And so, as I gear-up for contributing to this blog, I wonder…

Are you more of a writer or a reader? Have you ever written a letter to the child you lost? If so, what was it like for you to craft it? What articles or books have been especially rich for you to read?

Again, I look forward to meeting you and to your comments and replies here.