Today would have been my dad's birthday. While the date has been quietly sitting on my calendar, I realize most people around me have no idea. And that's okay. Even if others may not remember, my heart always will. It is simply one of the realities of grief. As time passes, the world keeps moving forward. People return to their routines. Conversations shift. Life becomes busy. Meanwhile, those of us who are grieving continue carrying the memories, dates, and milestones that r

In the early days of grief, it feels impossible to imagine a life that holds anything other than the loss. The sorrow is so heavy, so all-consuming, that it fills every space of your life and learning to live around grief seems impossible. Every thought. Every memory. Every moment of the day seems to circle back to the one you love and miss. In those early days, it can feel as though grief has taken over everything. Breathing feels harder. Sleeping feels impossible. Even the

Have you found yourself asking, Who am I after loss? When grief changes everything it’s a question many of us find ourselves asking when we thought we knew about ourselves. Loss has a way of quietly rewriting our identity, leaving us wondering whether the person we once were still exists beneath the weight of sorrow.

A few years ago, I realized something that surprised me: the anticipation of the anniversary is often harder than the actual day itself. If you’ve noticed this too, you’re not imagining it—and you’re not failing at grief.