#griefjourney — Public Fediverse posts

No Forwarding Address

Today is my daughter’s birthday.

I wanted to title this post, Another Year Without You– but then the idea of sending a letter to her through the eternal postal service could not be shaken.

Jesus – the Faithful and True mail carrier knows my baby’s address. This is my hope, confidence and peace.

Dear Katherine,

Today is your 26th birthday. Or it would have been if you were still here with us. How is it you are gone from us now – 6 years? It feels like time stopped the day you died.How I struggle to find meaning this side of eternity since you’ve been gone. How I struggle to understand what matters now. How I struggle to figure out, what next. How I struggle to battle the anger, bitterness and resentment that would devour me if I let down my guard-even but for a minute.

How each day now is a pushback against the darkness and a plunge into the unknown light of faith…and how faith is the raft to which I desperately cling to stay afloat in a vast sea, where land is far off and safety not guarenteed. Hope is a thing in the distance, like something hard to remember, something I strain and squint to see on a far off horizon.

Katherine your life mattered. Even if to some you seemed an enigma- I am sorry for them— for they never knew your inner being, your precious and beautful soul. Some just can’t help walking past what is precious and beautiful in God’s eyes- some stones on the beach are missed, walked on, and overlooked. Some stones need a bit more effort to see the rare beauty hidden in plain sight. The stepped on, overlooked sand-covered beach stone once picked up, brushed off washed clean and held up to the light- a beautiful gift.

You were that gift.

But for the sincere, persistant seeker, not impressed only with outwardly expressed conformity, and superficiality but who is willing to take the time…unsurpassed treasure can be found. You are that treasure.

I’m thinking of you, my love, and I am thinking how even the brightest light that burns more intensley than the sun, even the light that will still be present after all other lights are extinuished. That light did shine upon you, and still shines in me and through me as I remember you today and always.

Katherine, I miss you. You are loved.

More on this journey…HERE> My Grief Journey

Something I’ve learned about grief: people want to help, and sometimes that becomes advice about what you should do — cherish the memories, feel it, remember the good times, talk about it, don’t avoid it.

Most of it is said with love. But only the person grieving knows what they can handle right now.

Not going deeply into a memory isn’t always avoidance. Sometimes you can only let the hardest things back in a little at a time. A memory that may someday bring comfort can still be too painful today.

I’ve faced more this past year than most know. I’ve returned to places I dreaded and walked into rooms I wasn’t sure I could enter again. I did it. But I’ve learned to trust myself to know what I’m ready for and when.

Grief doesn’t need instructions. Sometimes the most helpful thing you can say is, “I’m here. I’m listening.”

Maybe someday the painful memories will be ones I can cherish again. I’m just not going to force myself there before I’m ready.

#Grief #GriefJourney #LifeAfterLoss

1. Got 98% of my things packed into the car for the drive home in a few days.

2. Received a legal document that I’d been waiting for, which enabled me to set my homeward bound travel plans!

3. Booked my motel stays between Michigan and Virginia to stop at a few of my favorite places with my camera(s) in hand.

#threeGoodThings #3goodthings #roadtrip #griefjourney

I searched everywhere for the outdoor weather station sensor and just couldn’t find it. A friend suggested I think of it as an adventure, but I was mostly frustrated.

In the end, it became another reminder of all the little things I can no longer ask Dad. Finding the sensor brought some relief, but it also made me realize how much I still miss being able to turn to him for answers.

#GriefJourney #Remembering #LifeReflections #Family #EverydayLife

Six Theories To Help You Understand And Deal With Grief
There’s almost as many theories on grieving as there are people who are grieving. Why is that? Because living with grief is a unique journey for each of us. No two are the same. Over the eons many have tried to set a pathway on how we deal with grief.
#griefprocess #griefjourney #griefsupport #grief #griefsupport #griefandloss #dealingwithgrief #dealingwithloss
https://youtu.be/ZAOURoY1ArA

Spending this evening with my “Anthems” playlist — the songs that hit hard enough at one point or another that they became woven into my life story.

Remembering the days after Dad got satellite radio in his car and you never quite knew what would be coming through the speakers when he pulled into the driveway. More than once, it was deep house or trance music playing loud enough to announce his arrival before you even saw the car.

Tomorrow I’ll bury Dad’s ashes. It will be just me there, a quiet and private moment.

Tonight’s soundtrack:
🎵 Freeze — Kygo
🎵 The World Is Mine — Lane 8, Kasbo & Bjørn
🎵 I Hope You Dance — Lee Ann Womack
🎵 Alive - Sia
🎵 On a Good Day - Above and Beyond

Maybe that’s what an anthem really is: a song that carries a piece of who you were, who you are, or who you’re trying to become.

Tonight, these are mine.

#NowPlaying #Music #SoundtrackOfMyLife #GriefJourney #Memories

Chatting with someone who has just lost a loved one is often awkward or stilted because we just don’t know what to say. In this video we’ll hear a poem by Toni Kane that explains why the grieving person’s inner response to an intended kindness is not always what we expect.
#grief #griefjourney #griefsupport #griefandloss #dealingwithgrief #dealingwithloss
https://youtu.be/OsrYjbn5fe4

“Sissy, Don’t Do Nothing Bad.” Her Final Warning, Her Final Love

https://lauraleacupp.wordpress.com/2026/06/27/sissy-dont-do-nothing-bad-her-final-warning-her-final-love/

My work slowed down for summer, leaving too much time with my thoughts. My soul hasn't accepted that my mom is gone. I wrote about this once-in-a-lifetime grief:

https://www.nordicprairielife.ca/prairie-fjords-blog/standing-in-the-grasslands-with-my-once-in-a-lifetime-grief

#GriefAndLoss #OnGrief #grief #GriefJourney

I’ve been going through old photos and this one packed a wallop for me. I reimagined the original photo as a painting before sharing it, but nothing could change what this moment means to me.
I was a teenager, proud of the Thanksgiving pie I’d made, while Dad finished carving the turkey behind me.
Over the years, this photo has come to mean so much more. It reminds me of how he was always there—steady, supportive, quick with a smile, and always ready to make me laugh. Those are the memories I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. ❤️

#FamilyMemories #Thanksgiving #Grief #GriefJourney #Dad #FatherDaughter #MemoryKeeping

Found my brother’s jacket in the hall closet today. It’s remarkably similar to my own—different color and brand, but both are fleece zip-ups embroidered with “San Francisco.” We bought them on the same trip more than ten years ago when he, Dad, and I drove the Pacific Coast Highway starting in San Francisco.
That trip gave us so many good memories. Best of all, his jacket fits me. My own has always been a favorite, and now his will be treasured too. ❤️
#FamilyMemories #GriefJourney #Remembering #RoadTrip #SanFrancisco

Grieving the Memories That Never Happened

https://juliemerzius.wordpress.com/2026/06/21/grieving-the-memories-that-never-happened/

It's only been 4 months since Anna's passing and navigating life after losing her feels like being on a journey with no destination. Before her transition, our intention was to grow old together. That end is no longer available, not in the way we expected. So, along with the grief of losing my person, I also face the grief of losing our expected future together. #grief #griefjourney #griefsupport #griefandloss #dealingwithgrief #dealingwithloss
https://youtu.be/R44i6vrfFHI

My new essay. Go check it out.

#grief #ptsd #cptsd #griefjourney #faith #religion #belief #spiritualconfusion #love #support #interfaith

https://thevirtualhermit.quest/wrestling-with-god

McComb Marries Months After Van Der Beek's Death

Heather McComb, ex-wife of James Van Der Beek, remarried Scott Michael Campbell four months after Van Der Beek's death on February 11, 2026.

#HeatherMcComb, #JamesVanDerBeek, #CelebrityMarriage, #GriefJourney, #ScottMichaelCampbell

https://newsletter.tf/heather-mccomb-remarries-after-ex-husbands-death/

Heather McComb has remarried just four months after the passing of her ex-husband, actor James Van Der Beek.

#HeatherMcComb, #JamesVanDerBeek, #CelebrityMarriage, #GriefJourney, #ScottMichaelCampbell
https://newsletter.tf/heather-mccomb-remarries-after-ex-husbands-death/

MICHAEL BALL'S MOTHER'S FAREWELL: A PERSONAL RECKONING

Footballer Michael Ball describes the last moments with his mother as 'beautiful and perfect'. Learn about his personal experience.

#MichaelBall, #FamilyLove, #GriefJourney, #Footballer, #PersonalStory

https://newsletter.tf/michael-ball-mother-farewell-personal-moment/

Michael Ball described his mother's passing as 'beautiful and perfect'. This is a deeply personal moment for the footballer.

#MichaelBall, #FamilyLove, #GriefJourney, #Footballer, #PersonalStory
https://newsletter.tf/michael-ball-mother-farewell-personal-moment/

✮ A Sliver in Eden’s Wall ✮

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✮ Reunion ✮

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McManus Reflects on Lingering Grief Decades After Wife's Death

Rove McManus speaks again about the pain of losing his wife Belinda Emmett to cancer in 2001. He shares how grief affects him.

#RoveMcManus, #BelindaEmmett, #GriefJourney, #CancerAwareness, #AustralianTV

https://newsletter.tf/rove-mcmanus-grief-wife-belinda-emmett-death/

Rove McManus is still feeling grief over his first wife's death, Belinda Emmett, who passed away 23 years ago in 2001. This shows that grief can last a very long time.

#RoveMcManus, #BelindaEmmett, #GriefJourney, #CancerAwareness, #AustralianTV
https://newsletter.tf/rove-mcmanus-grief-wife-belinda-emmett-death/

1. Got dad’s gravesite memorial service scheduled for early September.

2. Working towards my two-month road trip back to Michigan in early May to start sorting through his/my brother’s place and property. This first trip will be called “The Long Goodbye”.

3. Planning alternate day trips and multi-day trips around the Midwest so if the sorting and organizing gets to be too much, I can drop everything and run off with my camera to take a break. Hoping to be able to visit all 5 of the Great Lakes during this time.

Bonus: For the return trip in September, I’ve started planning for a mini family reunion after the graveside service. This will be my “Closing the Circle” trip.

Grief doesn’t happen all at once. The Long Goodbye is the process of letting go over time. Closing the Circle is that final return—to finish, to honor, and to move forward.

#3goodthings #threeGoodThings #GriefJourney
#LongGoodbye #ClosingTheCircle #HealingThroughTravel #LifeInTransition

Part of the filmstrip I run in my head when grief feels like too much.

This was taken in December 2021, overlooking Thunder Ridge from the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. The clouds moving through the mountains and that quiet, watchful tree have stayed with me ever since. Some images don’t just live in an album — they become places the mind returns to for comfort.

#Photography #BlueRidgeParkway #MountainPhotography #GriefJourney #HealingThroughArt #NaturePhotography #ayearforart

Grief can feel like chains around your heart, but healing doesn’t mean forgetting.
 
https://de320.isrefer.com/go/UNTHINKABLE/Stuartn/
 
#GriefJourney #HealingAfterLoss #EmotionalFreedom #SelfCompassion #YoureNotAlone #ThinkandGrowEducation #RayBehan #ReleasingEmotions #Transformation

Luxe Showcases New Abode, A Nod to Late Husband

Influencer Lorna Luxe has moved into a new temporary home and included a special tribute to her late husband, John Andrews. Find out why.

#LornaLuxe, #JohnAndrews, #InfluencerLife, #NewHome, #GriefJourney

https://newsletter.tf/lorna-luxe-new-home-tribute-late-husband/

Lorna Luxe, a fashion influencer, has revealed a new temporary home after her husband's passing. This move comes as she considers motherhood.

#LornaLuxe, #JohnAndrews, #InfluencerLife, #NewHome, #GriefJourney
https://newsletter.tf/lorna-luxe-new-home-tribute-late-husband/

Basi Presses On, Boxing Amidst Shadow of Loss and Injury

Boxer Arjon Basi fights Sunday after recovering from wrist injuries and losing his father. Find out how he's coping and what's next.

#ArjonBasi, #BoxingNews, #InjuryRecovery, #GriefJourney, #ProBoxing

https://newsletter.tf/arjon-basi-fights-after-injury-and-loss/

Boxer Arjon Basi is fighting this Sunday, just months after recovering from career-threatening wrist injuries and the loss of his father.

#ArjonBasi, #BoxingNews, #InjuryRecovery, #GriefJourney, #ProBoxing
https://newsletter.tf/arjon-basi-fights-after-injury-and-loss/

INFLUENCER LORNA LUXE CONSIDERS MOTHERHOOD AMIDST LIFE UPHEAVAL

Influencer Lorna Luxe, 43, is thinking about motherhood after her husband John Andrews died in February. She is moving belongings to storage.

#LornaLuxe, #InfluencerNews, #Motherhood, #GriefJourney, #JohnAndrews

https://newsletter.tf/influencer-luxe-considers-motherhood-after-husband-death/

Lorna Luxe is considering motherhood months after her husband passed away. This comes as she moves her belongings into storage.

#LornaLuxe, #InfluencerNews, #Motherhood, #GriefJourney, #JohnAndrews
https://newsletter.tf/influencer-luxe-considers-motherhood-after-husband-death/

Weather at Dad's place today (April 2) in Upper Michigan: mostly freezing rain and sleet right now, with another 5 inches of snow expected on top of it. This has truly been one of the harshest winters in decades. I spoke with someone up there who said the two back-to-back storms in mid-March alone dumped 54 inches (137 cm) of snow. 😬

Three good things:

1. Even with all this weather, the camera is still giving me a window into home.

2. I'm looking forward to making several side trips while I'm in the Midwest, visiting old familiar places and some new ones, too. All with my camera in hand. Hoping to offset the inevitable moments of grief and sadness as I sort through my dad and brother's belongings.

3. It's good to finally feel excited about getting out with my camera again.

#threegoodthings #3goodthings #GriefJourney #WinterWeather #Roadtrip #TravelPhotography #gratitude #today

PARENTAL LOSS SPARKS UNEXPECTED GRIEF ITERATIONS

Australians face unexpected, prolonged grief years after a parent dies. Learn about delayed grief and bureaucratic issues after loss.

#ParentalLoss, #GriefJourney, #BereavementSupport, #AustralianGrief, #MentalHealth

https://newsletter.tf/parental-death-causes-extra-grief-years-later/

Grief after losing a parent can last much longer than people expect, with some Australians dealing with it for years.

#ParentalLoss, #GriefJourney, #BereavementSupport, #AustralianGrief, #MentalHealth
https://newsletter.tf/parental-death-causes-extra-grief-years-later/

Three good things:

1. Belatedly learned that I’d been consuming caffeine with my daily Dunkin Strawberry Dragonfruit Refreshers even tho I have them made with regular water. The caffeine is in the green tea extract of the syrup. This explains a LOT about how I’ve been feeling for the past 7 months. Since stopping caffeine, my anxiety level have come back to expected levels during my grieving period since I lost my dad and brother within the last six months.

2. Relocated my sewing machine to in front of a window that gets morning sun.

3. Made a decision to take a long road trip in May, taking my camera with me. Up until this point, I haven’t felt up to going out with the camera, but I am now looking forward to this road trip back to Michigan.

#ThreeGoodThings #GriefJourney #Gratitude #PhotographyLife #RoadTrip #3goodthings

Three good things today:
The steady rhythm of Lake Superior waves at sunset — that familiar, grounding sound that hasn’t changed.
A memory from 2024 with Dad, staying at my grandparents’ cabin west of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, a place that was theirs until the 70s.
Realizing that even now, that shoreline still sounds like home to me.
#ThreeGoodThings #LakeSuperior #3goodthings #GriefJourney #Home #Michigan #QuietMoments #MindfulLiving

Probably not the best time for me to be watching *The Pitt*. There’s a scene with a brother and sister in the ER with their dad, and a line about how they become the witnesses to each other’s lives — the ones who hold the shared memories.

That one hit hard.

One of the hardest things right now is realizing I don’t have that anymore. Even though my brother and I hadn’t spoken in years, he was still my brother. He was already gone when Dad died, so I stood there without that shared witness to our life.

Yeah… this one’s getting put on hold for now. Too much, too soon.

I'd love to hear some suggestions for TV shows or movies that I could watch instead. I have most of the major streaming services.

#GriefJourney #LifeAfterLoss #GriefSupport #HealingInProgress #OneDayAtATime

Sharing this because I need to hear the sounds of home right now. Lake Superior on a windy autumn day (from October 2025 with Dad in Marquette in Upper Michigan).

#LakeSuperior #GreatLakes #MichiganUP #NaturePhotography #Waves #Gratitude #GriefJourney #TodaysSmallMoment

Some of you may remember Margey the Meerkat (on the left). She used to come along with me on photo shoots. When I’m ready to get back out there with my camera, she’ll have some company — Top Dog, as Dad called him.

Top Dog was Dad’s — the little stuffy he made sure to bring with him when he moved to Virginia to live with us. I’m pretty sure he had originally given it to Mom during one of her hospital stays back in the 90s.

It just feels right that the two of them will come along with me on future photo adventures.

#PhotographyLife #PhotoCompanion #GriefJourney #LifeAfterLoss #MemoryKeeping #HealingThroughArt #CreativeJourney

Fishbowl: A Game Exploring Grief and Memory

Learn about the new game 'Fishbowl' where players help Alo cope with losing her grandmother over one month using memories and self-care.

#FishbowlGame, #GriefJourney, #MemoryExploration, #IndieGame, #SelfCare

https://newsletter.tf/new-game-fishbowl-explore-grief-memory-grandmother-death/

The game 'Fishbowl' focuses on grief and memory, letting players guide Alo through a month of healing after her grandmother passes away. It uses a talking toy fish to help her remember.

#FishbowlGame, #GriefJourney, #MemoryExploration, #IndieGame, #SelfCare

https://newsletter.tf/new-game-fishbowl-explore-grief-memory-grandmother-death/

This cross was my mom’s, and after she died, Dad wore it every single day for twenty-five years. When he was moved to palliative care, and it wasn’t on him, I was terrified it had been lost.

Not because it was valuable, but because it felt like a piece of both of them. Yesterday I found it in the bag of clothes we’d brought to the hospital when we still hoped he’d recover. The relief that washed over me was overwhelming.

The first good thing is that it’s safe.

The second is that it still feels like a link to both my parents.

The third is the reminder that love leaves traces we can hold onto, even when the people are gone.

Bonus good thing: taking this photo helped me slow down and breathe for a moment — something I really needed.

#3GoodThings #ThreeGoodThings #SmallMoments #GriefJourney
#MemoryKeeping #LifeAfterLoss

I'm heartbroken as my dad passed away late last night. But, after some thought, I can still find #3goodthings

1. Dad is at peace now and for that I am grateful.

2. I got to spend these last years with him under my roof, creating memories I’ll hold onto forever.

3. Love doesn’t end here—the love he gave continues to shape me, even in the hardest moments.

Bonus: I’m holding close the memory of our last real vacation together at what used to be my grandparent's cabin on Lake Superior — and this photo reminds me that even in grief, there is still beauty to look toward.

#threegoodthings #SmallMoments #AYearForArt #LakeSuperior #Photography #GriefJourney #NatureHeals

👑 To everyone grieving a partner or soulmate this holiday season: It’s okay if the holidays hurt. That feeling is heavy, and it is real.

Grief is love with nowhere to land. That big sadness gets trapped inside your body, making your chest feel tight.

Your best tool is your breath. You do not need hours to meditate. You just need to breathe slow.

Try this simple trick:

Stop. Sit down and feel your feet on the floor.

In: Breathe in slow for 4 counts.

Out: Breathe out slow for 6 counts.

Three slow breaths tell your body: "I am safe right now." This small release helps sadness flow out, bringing calm back. Give yourself permission to pause and breathe today.

Breathe slow. FLOW.

#GriefJourney #HealingTogether #Breathwork

Getting through grief is such a process. My relationship with my brother hadn’t been ideal these past few years, but as long as he was alive, there was always that small hope — that maybe one day he’d face his addictions and find his way back to us. Now he’s gone, and so much feels unresolved.

Going into the house where he’d been living was surreal. While searching for paperwork the hospital needed, it was impossible not to see the chaos he’d been living in. I think, in the end, he knew and regretted cutting his family out of his life.
#Griefjourney #LossAndHealing #WritingToHeal #LifeReflections #MentalHealthMatters

I needed to get this out last night, even though I am usually a little brighter with my posts. Hope it helps at least one other to put words to their own struggles.
#OriginalPoetry #poem #macrophotography #daisy #bloomscrolling #GriefJourney #loss #strugglestory #chronicillnesslife #fotografie

Welcome to today’s writing session! ✨ 🍹 Sipping on: White Linen inspired by Likeable Cocktails 🎧 Listening to: “Mesopotamia” by The B-52’s #movingbravely #memoir #griefjourney

Bart touched so many hearts in so little time. 💔🌈 🎥 VeganFTA x emmaveganforanimals with clips from foreverlandfarm (IG) #transformationstory #griefjourney #pigs #cutepets #animalrescue

Tanja Pajevic speaks from experience in The Secret Life of Grief.
#nonfiction #memoir #griefsupport #griefjourney
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-Grief-Memoir-ebook/dp/B01LWPLMTQ/