When writing becomes healing
These posts will vary based on the emotional experience captured. Some will be full pieces with articulate perspective. Others may be a five sentence rant because sometimes all we need is to express our grief in its raw form. I’ll share memories of my mom and stories of who she was. Who I have become and am becoming because of her.
-
12 Years
Dear Mom, Every anniversary brings different feelings. In the first years it was fear. The fear that I wouldn’t make it past another August 14th. Being afraid the emotions would drown me because I hadn’t…
-
In the moments
Grief is lying on the couch scrolling on your phone when all of a sudden a random video, photo, article on the internet pulls the floor out from underneath you. You’re plunged back into the…
-
Happy 68th Birthday
Dear Mom, As the years go by I find myself longing for a different part of you. I knew a superb mother who always put her children first. She worked east coast hours at 5am…
-
Happy 67th Birthday
Dear Mom, Every year on your birthday I sit and think of all the versions of yourself you could’ve been. The lives you could’ve lived. The memories you could’ve had. Do you remember running a…
-
Love, Karen
This year’s letter will be a special one. It has been 10 years of processing the highs and lows of grief. An entire decade of life persevering and love enduring. There is no way to…
-
F**k Grief
TW: Substance abuse and profanity Dear Mom, I’ve spent the past 10 years putting together what happened to you. It’s like learning a new language that no one else understands. My heart has bled into…
-
Happy 66th Birthday
Dear Mom, 10 years ago we celebrated what would be your last birthday. I can’t remember what we did. Maybe we made your chocolate chip pancakes – adding bananas inside to make them “healthy.” I…
-
Nine Years
Dear Mom, Nine years ago I went to the hospital to visit my mom while she was going through her second round of chemo. When I walked into her room she was nowhere to be…
-
Goodbye, Grandpa
My mom is not the only loss that’s changed me in the past nine years. This is a special tribute to my adopted grandfather, Geddes Hanson. On March 27, 2021 the world suddenly lost a…