Welcome!

Not Alone is about not feeling alone in the world, and it's conception was the result of me feeling very alone at an extremely difficult time in my life.  In July 2006, my mother passed away suddenly.  It was not an expected death due to illness, so it came as a terrible shock.  Although Mum was 72 years old, we all thought that we would have her with us for a few more years to come!  It was a huge adjustment, one which I was not at all prepared for.  At the time, I was single, and living alone with my elderly cat!  I can remember some evenings, sitting in front of my computer, and wanting to ‘reach out’  – but not knowing where to go, or who to reach out to.

Now, nearly 4 years later, my dream of building a website to assist others in their time of need has finally come to fruition.  I had visions of what Not Alone would be all about and how it would be able to benefit those who are grieving.  Once I got started, it all poured out so easily - I guess it was all there just under the surface, waiting to be compiled. I am pleased with the outcome and trust that you will find your visit beneficial.  Please feel free to refer others to Not Alone so that together we can assist those who are coping with grief, particularly those who we care about.

The focus of Not Alone is dealing with grief due to bereavement.  Having said that, there are other reasons why you may be grieving in your life.  You may be suffering from a different type of deep loss.  Not Alone could also assist you in dealing with other types of grief, so if you feel that is the case you are always welcome - please consider becoming a member of our community forum.

Not Alone can provide you with information and resources - not only to help you to deal with your grief, but also to assist you to plan funerals or memorial services.  My aim is to provide you with somewhere to go, so that you don’t feel quite so alone during this process.  Some people plan their own funerals.. perhaps because they have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, or some because they are extremely organised!  If you are priviledged to be involved in the pre- planning of someone's funeral, remember that they may have special and specific reasons for particular inclusions.  I would always respect a loved one's wishes, even if I did not personally agree with them.

This website will be a constant work in progress - I will add pages as frequently as I am able.  There are resources in the form of words or music - both of which can be very therapeutic during our hours of need.  Where the author is known, I will always acknowledge them.  The majority of these resources are easily and openly available, so I trust that there will be no copyright infringement by displaying them here. These resources could be used in planning services, or simply for you to immerse yourself into when you are alone and wanting to explore your feelings, thoughts and memories. 

We don’t have to live alone to feel alone.  You could live in a house full of people, but still feel alone.  Not Alone is here for you - no matter what your personal circumstances are.  Feel free to browse around, and if you feel the desire to become a member of our forum, please do so.  We welcome you with open arms.

If you have recently suffered a bereavement, please believe me when I say that I feel for you.  If there is anything that I can personally help you with, please don't hesitate to contact me.  I wish you well in your journey of acceptance and I hope that Not Alone assists you in some way to get you to wherever it is that you feel you need to be.  Time is our friend.
 
With caring thoughts....