If you have read my posts, you know I fervently believe that in order to heal our hearts after the death of someone we love, we must give ourselves permission to mourn. I am so thankful that I have done this and I know I will mourn Richard’s death as long as I live. However, I don’t want his death to be the focus of who he is and who I am.

Here I am 2 years and 3 months later and the fog has gradually lifted. Don’t get me wrong. I have moments and even days of full blown sadness, but time and intentionality has softened the pain.

I have written many times about joy and sadness coexisting. This is an important concept that I embraced very early in my grief journey. I also strive to surround myself with people who are comfortable talking about Richard – sharing stories about him, saying his name without feeling bad. It brings me so much joy when my friends and family talk about him with love and laughter.

So this brings me to the purpose of today’s post: sharing some joyful celebrations/moments from January 2023. If you are dealing with death, loss, sadness, etc., honor those feelings but don’t forget to create and look for joy.