My name is Susan, and I am a widow.

My husband, Brian, passed away from brain cancer. The last year and a bit of his life was very difficult for both of us. Because his death was anticipated, I thought I was ready. We had done all the easy stuff and had all the hard conversations. But then he was gone and I was a mess. I didn’t know that grief would be so painful. I didn’t realize the void would be so vast. 

I would love to say I’m on the other side of it now. I want to tell you that all the pain goes away on a certain day and it is clear sailing from then on. That is not my experience. Grief is rough. It is rough in the beginning, it surprises you with its unpredictable nature in the middle, and sometimes it feels like it will never really end.

Every grief journey is unique. This is partly because every relationship is unique, and the circumstances around every loss are unique. What I experienced will not be the same as what someone else has gone through. However, there are a lot of similarities that connect us on our journey.

For me, there were two defining factors during my first year of grief. I had family and friends who were supportive and I did a lot of journaling. Those two things gave me a way to express my grief, walk through my pain, and grow from the experience. It was not easy. It took all of my energy to even breathe some days.

The unifying thing about grief is that pretty much all of us will experience it at some point in our lives. It is a part of being human that we cannot avoid. It should then be a more accepted aspect of existence. Maybe it is the absolute power of the emotions we feel that make us unsure of how to go through it ourselves, or even to comfort someone who is grieving. The result is that many people can feel lost or abandoned at a crucial time.

My purpose is to offer support and hope to those who are grieving. Just as every loss is different, the timing and scope of support will also be different. 

We are in this together. You are stronger than you think, and we are stronger when we work as a team.

Feel free to look through my website. Feel free to contact me. Let me know if I can be of service to you in any way.