Today was Father's Day. For some of you, it was a good day. For many, it wasn't. Maybe you spent the day missing your dad. Maybe you spent it wishing your child was here celebrating. Maybe you avoided the holiday altogether. Or maybe you smiled through a barbecue or a day at the beach while carrying grief quietly inside. Today is also the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. There isn't a finish line after the longest day, it’s just another day. The next day, the light shifts almost without notice. I think grief can be like that. There isn't a point where we are "fixed." There isn't a day when we wake up and are done grieving. We don't move steadily toward some final destination called healing. We adapt and we learn what hurts and what helps. We find ways to carry both our grief and our love at the same time. Some days feel heavier than others. Certain dates still knock the wind out of us. And then there are days when we laugh or breathe a little easier. None of those days erase the others.They are all part of loving someone who is no longer here. The longest day is ending now. Tomorrow, there will be another sunrise and another chance to keep going
Read more: From One Grieving Dad to Another.
~ Robyn
Robyn Houston-Bean
Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation
*** SOME SPOTS HAVE OPENED FOR PARENTS AUGUST GRIEF RETREAT-SEE BELOW****
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Please check the calendar before you drive to an in-person group…last-minute changes can happen. If it is not listed on the monthly calendar, it is cancelled for that date.
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MEETING CHANGES THIS WEEK
Due to a zoom glitch last week, MULTIPLE LOSS GROUP is meeting this week on 6/24/26.
Judy Kelly facilitating for Janice Kaplan for the Newly Bereaved & New to TSWR GROUP this week.
HELP SUPPORT THE SUN WILL RISE!
ENTER TO WIN TWO ARIANA GRANDE TICKETS
One lucky winner will receive two Ariana Grande tickets for the concert at TD Garden in Boston on Wednesday 7/22/26 at 8:00 pm!
Ticket sales close 7/10/26. Your odds are great with this raffle! Thank you so much for your support that helps keep all our offerings at no cost to you!
HEALING THROUGH WONDER
Catch up with the Healing Through Wonder Project by listening to our guests Les Schaffer & Martha Kartaoui.
Les Schaffer is a solo and tandem storyteller, teacher/trainer, retired counselor, veteran and cowboy- at-heart. His resume stretches from being a founding member of both the Tell Tale Hearts Storytellers Theater Company and TwoTellersTelling. These days, Les performs and teaches storytelling in a wide variety of settings. Watch here.
Martha Kartaoui is a speaker, author, trauma-informed coach, and cult survivor. In our conversation, Martha shares her experiences of her transformative moments of awe and wonder during her 26 years in a cult as well as her profound encounters after she escaped. A common thread through her stories is how her sense of awe helped her remember her authentic self and find meaning in her life despite the destructive influences of the cult. Watch here.
Sign up to share your healing through awe and wonder story with us
UPCOMING TSWR & SADOD ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
SADOD’s June Psychoeducational Virtual Workshop: Grief Theories and Grief Misconceptions June 23, 2026 6:30-8:00 pm ET This workshop will provide a brief overview of some helpful grief theories while dispelling some common misconceptions, with the goal of providing a safe space for individuals to ask questions and learn more about this process. Learn more and REGISTER HERE. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. Non-MA residents, if cost is an issue, use promo code SCHOLARSHIP to register for free.
Create a memorial lantern in memory or honor of someone you care about as we prepare for the Braintree/Weymouth MA International Overdose Awareness Day Lantern Walk & Glowstick Ceremony at Pond Meadow Park on 8/27/26. All materials provided. There are four dates & locations. Each lantern created during these workshops will be carried or displayed during our IOAD Lantern Walk & Glow Stick Ceremony, where we will come together as a community to remember those who have died due to substance use related causes and support one another in hope and healing.Questions? robyn@thesunwillrise.org
Choose Between Four Workshops:
7/1/26 3:00 pm Tufts Library Rm 232 Weymouth MA REGISTER
7/16/26 Wey of Life Weymouth MA REGISTER
7/29/26 6:00 pm Hope Beyond Hope Weymouth MA REGISTER
8/3/26 Thayer Public Library Logan Auditorium Braintee MA REGISTER
Cape Cod Canal Cruise Sunday July 12, 2026 6:30-8:30 pm Onset MA Join us on a two-hour trip cruising two-thirds of the length of the Cape Cod Canal to the Herring Run and back. This Hy-Line Cruise features live commentary about the fascinating history and points of interest along the canal. All ages welcome. Bring your friends & family! We chartered the whole boat! Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. If you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days notice, the deposit is not refundable. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Thanks for your understanding. Please don’t let the deposit be a barrier, if cost is an issue, just let us know. We’re committed to making this event accessible to everyone. If you have any accessibility needs (physical or otherwise), please reach out. We want to ensure everyone feels welcome and supported. Questions? Contact Judy Kelly. judyannkelly@gmail.com 781-264-0557 REGISTER HERE!
Pick Your Own Flowers Sunday August 9, 2026 2:00-4:00 pm. Cross St Farm Norwell MA Our group will have the farm fields to ourselves as we gather together to admire the blooms spread throughout the seven acre flower farm. Walk the rows at your own pace, choose your stems, and bring home a hand-cut bouquet straight from the field. We will have the opportunity to cut 20 stems of beautiful summer blooms to bring home. Zinnias, lisianthus, cosmos, snapdragons, celosia, sunflowers, pincushion, globe amaranth, grasses are among the possible varieties that may be bursting! Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. If you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days notice, the deposit is not refundable. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Thanks for your understanding. Please don’t let the deposit be a barrier, if cost is an issue, just let us know. We’re committed to making this event accessible to everyone. If you have any accessibility needs (physical or otherwise), please reach out. We want to ensure everyone feels welcome and supported. The ground is uneven so may not be easy to navigate for those with mobility difficulties. Questions about the event? Please email judy kelly judyannkelly@gmail.com 781-264-0557 REGISTER HERE!
Renew, Refresh, Reset Grief Retreat for Bereaved Parents Date: August 14-16, 2026 Registration form reopened! We have gone through the waitlist. Space now available. If you would like to room with another bereaved parent, please complete the form. We can match you with another person. No single roooms available. Questions about the retreat? Contact Cheryl Juaire Cherju4339@aol.com Sign up here.
HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND
Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.
Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email? Have them sign up here for support!
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“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean