Statistics say there are upwards of 600 million blog sites.  If you are reading this, thank you for choosing this site over any of the other 600 million blogs you could be reading at this very moment.  You are precious and appreciated.  There is a chance that you came across this site because of search words like grief or bereavement or loss.  It could be your grief, or the grief that someone else is experiencing.  Grief is tough stuff.  I can relate.  I don’t know what you are going through, but I can relate to loss because of my own personal experience.  My husband of 27 years passed away from brain cancer.  It sucks.  It’s messy.  It is painful beyond words.  But words are all I have to give you on this blog.  Words and hope.  Words and hope and companionship on your journey.  Ok, maybe I have more to give than either of us realized.

When I first thought of starting a blog, I did some research to find out how many blog sites were out there, and I asked myself why I would want to be just another one in 600 million.  All of my rational thought said that I did not want to be a statistic like that.  But my emotional thought told me otherwise.  My emotional thought reminded me that there are people looking for a message of hope in their loss.  There are people who are looking for someone they can relate to.  There are people who are looking for a friend during a difficult time.  I want to be that person.  I want to be that person for you as well.

When my husband passed away in 2019, it was a rough time for me.  What really helped me through the darkness of my grief was having people that I could talk to.  People that I could cry with and laugh with.  People that I could just be my broken self around.  I had a few really close friends and family members who were there for me.  I have realized, however, that not everyone is that lucky. 

Some people get advice like, ‘just get over it already,’ or, ‘just think happy thoughts of your loved one and you won’t get sad,’ or, ‘it’s been over a year, you should be better by now’.  That is really bad advice.  I needed someone who would really listen to me and not offer lousy advice.  I needed someone I could tell my story to.  I needed someone who could tell me their story, and the different things that they experienced on our similar journey.  I got those things, but not everyone does.

When Brian first passed, my life was completely upside down.  It was hard, and messy, and way more emotional than I expected.  My close friends helped, and journalling my thoughts helped.  Journalling my thoughts turned into writing a book about what I experienced in that first year of grief.  Yes, that was a very difficult thing to do – but it was a very large part of my healing process.  The surprising part of writing the book has been when people who have read it tell me that they could relate to what I went through and they found it helpful.  That makes me feel good inside; that my pain had a positive outcome.  As much as I resented the experience, I’m thankful that the pain I felt and was able to put into words has been helpful for someone else.  That my painful experience has become something that someone in a similar situation can relate to.  People are looking for someone to relate to.  Just as I had someone to relate to in my grief, I am now able to provide that to others. 

But now, I want to take it a step further.  I want to be one in 600 million. 

When I published my book, my goal was that if I could positively impact even one person’s life, it would be worth it.  In that sense, I have succeeded. 

Now with my blog, my goal is the same.  If I can positively impact one person’s life, it will be worth it.

Thank you for your courage to be here.