06/03/2026
I lost my mom when I was 14! A quarter of a century has passed, and if there’s one thing grief has taught me, it’s that you never stop missing the people you love. The grief doesn’t disappear, it simply changes. The trauma has made things blurry but I remember my mom as my childhood comfort, the fun mom, the one who made everything feel safe.
Now I try to find her in different ways: every beautifully planted garden I walk by when I’m walking my dog, in the angel wings I stumble across while browsing a home decor shop, in the comfort of food around our family supper table, and in the magic of Halloween and Christmas. Those holidays were her favorite and her joy was always contagious. Every year I try to carry a little of that same wonder for my own home and hope to also pass it onto my children. These holidays are always hard - having to excuse myself mid gift opening to have a little cry.
Maybe that’s the most beautiful thing about grief, you never stop looking for them. You find them in signs, traditions, quiet moments, and pieces of yourself that they helped shape. It changes you forever…you’re stronger. It softens you. It teaches you to slow down; to appreciate the ordinary moments and understand how fragile and precious life really is. Even after all these years, I still miss her.
If you’ve lost someone you love, I hope you know the pain won’t always feel as heavy as it does today. The love remains but give yourself grace. The tears will come in family moments you wish they could be here for…for years, and that’s normal!
So make the hug count when saying goodbye to friends. And tell your parents you love them on the phone when saying goodbye. Choose forgiveness when it’s hard. Because not everybody gets a tomorrow. ❤️