The Third Christmas without You

It’s Christmas. And like the others before : the ones that I struggled through your absence,I will try to smile and face yet another one…Without you here. Christmas’s of yesteryear:Memories of a small boy, grinning ear to ear as you opened your gifts… gifts that you had probably snooped to find in the days before,Continue reading “The Third Christmas without You”

2 years

Life can be tragic and the loss of a loved one profound. The loss of a child, no matter the age, is every parent’s worst nightmare. Losing your child to suicide is another level altogether. It’s been two years. Sometime between the night of the 18th of Aug and the early morning of the 19,Continue reading “2 years”

Sinead

Sinead O’Connor died today. It’s been said that she never got over the death of her son. I suspect she either chose to join him, or she died of a broken heart. Like Lisa Marie Presley. Regardless of the cause of death, which hasn’t been determined pr at least not been released, I know thatContinue reading “Sinead”

There’s another star in the sky tonight

My mom was a constant in my life. She was there when my heart took its first beat. She was there when I took my first breath; my first tears; my first steps.She guided my sisters and I through childhood and adolescence.I remember when I went to college, she wanted to buy me a VolkswagenContinue reading “There’s another star in the sky tonight”

My mom

I lost my mom a few hours ago. She has been in a nursing home for almost 5 years. When I lost my son 21 months ago, I needed my mom more than ever, but dementia had taken its grip on her and wouldn’t let go.I was trying to get home when she passed :Continue reading “My mom”

Floating

I’m floating. Sometimes, I feel myself slipping below the surface, and I don’t want to come back up. I feel myself sinking deeper and deeper into the blackness. I hear my own words of hope and compassion that I tell the others who walk the same path I walk along. My words are convincing evenContinue reading “Floating”

Easter 2023

It’s a grey and dreary day. The torrential rains are threatening to flood my yard, but I just watched nine deer walk through, oblivious to the downpour, enjoying the growth of new grasses that stick out of the earth here and there. The holidays aren’t easy to navigate. This is our second Easter with SamContinue reading “Easter 2023”

Happy Birthday in Heaven

17 Feb 2023Happy Birthday in Heaven to my sweet son Sam. You would be 33 today. I miss you beyond words. I still have days – most days- where my mind still can’t grasp or comprehend your absence from this world.I’ll make your favorite dinner tonight and set a place at the table for you.Continue reading “Happy Birthday in Heaven”

I’m tired

In early December, I sat with the president of the Board of Inquiry into Sam’s death. The findings weren’t good, as I knew they would be. The military takes no responsibility into his death. The harassment that Sam underwent was not significant because the Warrant Officer that the allegations were made against said they didn’tContinue reading “I’m tired”

Who Am I

I’m a mother. My most important role in this life’s journey is being a mother. I’ve done a lot of things: I’ve had a career or two; I’ve traveled; I’ve been married; I’ve been divorced; I’ve been in love; I’ve fallen out of love. But the role of all of the roles that I identifyContinue reading “Who Am I”

RIP Buddy

Yesterday I had to set my sweet 19 year old dog free from this world. I prayed that he would pass peacefully and pain free but through the night I could see that he was struggling and in pain so when the vet opened at 0800, I called and within 30 minutes I took himContinue reading “RIP Buddy”

Boxing Day

It’s 0117. I can’t sleep although I’m tired. I’ve started practicing holotropic breathing at night before I sleep. It is said to induce visions. That’s just how desperate I am to see Sam. It’s been 16 months and one week, and sometimes I wonder if I am just going batshit crazy. I’ve heard that aContinue reading “Boxing Day”

Christmas Eve

Six years ago tonight, I spent my last Christmas with Sam. It was a bit of a disaster. My daughter and I were barely on speaking terms. I had so desperately wanted her to just spend a few days with me, but she wanted to go to Kingston. It was in the early days ofContinue reading “Christmas Eve”

The many faces of grief

When we lose someone to death, grief is obvious. But grief can manifest itself through other channels of loss. Grief can affect someone after the breakup of a relationship; or not getting a job promotion that was expected and hoped for; or the loss of health or a physical injury that keeps you from beingContinue reading “The many faces of grief”

This is what it is like when you lose a child

I was walking through Superstore yesterday, and I saw a bag of cookies that I used to buy when the kids were young. I walked over, picked it up and immediately I had to put it down because I suddenly felt like crying. I saw a pair of seat covers being advertised a few minutesContinue reading “This is what it is like when you lose a child”

Passive Suicide

I spent an hour with the dietician yesterday. My doctor referred me weeks ago, to help me with my bingeing. This was my second appointment. But I’m not just bingeing. I am slowing destroying myself from the inside out. I starve myself for 2 or 3 weeks in an attempt to control ” something ”Continue reading “Passive Suicide”

2022 international Suicide loss survivors day.

Today is International Suicide Survivors Day 2022. Never in my lifetime did I think today would be about me. But then, I don’t think anyone who survives the loss of a loved one to suicide ever thought this would be a journey that they would be on. As human beings, we face every day withContinue reading “2022 international Suicide loss survivors day.”

14 months, 4 days. I can’t shake the thought that if only I had stayed in Trenton 5 years ago rather than move to the other side of the country, Sam would still be alive. He moved there in 2020 after the breakup of his marriage. He had asked to move there so his (Continue reading

A Complicated Grief

Suicide loss is a complicated grief. Those who havnt gone through it will never understand it. Hell, I don’t think we understand it ourselves. I don’t know how we are supposed to survive it. I often don’t want to survive it. When people say, ” Sam wouldn’t want you to be so sad. He wouldContinue reading “A Complicated Grief”

I’m having a rough night.

It has been almost 14 months now since Sam left us. Mental illness was his demon: he died by the final symptom of it. He died by suicide. He was 31. He would be almost 33 now. He should be almost 33 now. But instead, he is forever 31. They say that the second yearContinue reading “I’m having a rough night.”

Time moves on

It’s been 1 year, 1 month and 16 days since Sam left us. I can’t believe how quickly time is flying by. The good in that is that the time moves quicker and I can be with my child again before i know it. The grief hasn’t gotten easier. It’s become softer and I canContinue reading “Time moves on”

Dreams

I dreamt about Sam last night. I hadn’t dreamt about him for a year, well not that I can remember anyway. I don’t often remember my dreams. I once asked him a question back in January on my birthday as I was drifting between sleep and awake, and I heard him answer inside my head….Continue reading “Dreams”