“I would have masked my grief with make-up and pretty clothes, attended all the events, and popped dangerous amounts of Xanax. But with Covid, there was nowhere to go, no mask to hide under, no excuse to avoid my grief.”
‘On my birthday, I drank whatever was in arm’s reach. The day after marked six months since we lost Adelaide.’: Mom shares grief journey through the pandemic
‘I heard voices. ‘Shhh, she’s coming.’ I cautiously walked in, turned the corner. ‘Surprise!’ There it was, the family cake.’: Act of kindness reminds widow ‘I am still loved’
“With COVID, my mom couldn’t travel to me and I couldn’t travel to her. ‘How is she possibly going to transport a cake with homemade frosting 842 miles without it going bad?’ I’m never going to forget this.”
‘He doesn’t open presents, understand Santa Claus, or notice the glow of Christmas lights.’: Mom to son with autism candidly details holiday grief, ‘Special needs parents, I see you’
“The busy atmosphere and holiday rush put him into sensory overload. The magical memories faded as fast as his eye contact. But this year, after years of trying, he finally put the star on the tree.”
‘I asked Audonte what he wanted for his birthday. ‘Just some cupcakes.’ Every day, he’s at the park by himself.’: Mom shares act of kindness for wandering boy at park, ‘It takes a village’
“Audonte is at the park every single day and never has anyone with him. He’s become like a 4th son to me.”
‘Why do they love her when I’m here?’ For 6 years, I wanted to hate her. But I loved them.’: Adoptive mom shares relationship with kids’ birth mom, ‘Love can accomplish great things’
“I knew she’d self-medicated for years. My first message to her was anonymous. ‘My name is Jane, and we love the same kiddos.’ She was defensive, expecting a trap.”
‘I am older than he was when he died, and there is nothing more unnatural than that.’: Widow powerfully reminisces on birthdays, ‘This is not the way it’s supposed to be’
“He was always supposed to be older than me, yet now he is suspended forever in time at 45. I don’t want to be older than him. It’s not the way it’s supposed to be.”
‘You get the invite. You roll your eyes, instantly scoff. ‘She won’t even remember this or know what’s going on!’: Mom powerfully explains why first birthdays are ‘not just about the baby’
“First birthdays are not just about the baby. There, I said it. When a mother sends you an invitation, she assumes you’re an ally.”
‘Every half-birthday, my grandma would take me to breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Every year, she texted me to make me feel special.’: Christmas Eve baby cherishes grandma’s kindness during forgotten birthday
“As a Christmas Eve baby, I never got parties with friends. My birthday presents doubled as Christmas presents. People wrapped my gifts in Christmas wrapping paper, birthday cakes had Santa on them. Living in the shadow of Kris Kringle, my grandma wanted to do something to make me feel special.”
‘He met me at the door. ‘Close your eyes.’ I could tell by the eagerness in his voice, he had something delightful to show me.’: Widow recalls late husband’s emotional birthday for daughter
“He led me into the living room. I found myself dripping in anticipation. He took my hand and shuffled me to the center of the room. ‘Okay, open!’ he exclaimed. I didn’t realize I was crying until I reached up to wipe my face.”
‘Then cancer struck. It’s hard to be single in a sea of married people. Friends dragged me to the next step.’: Widow is grateful for ‘friend family’ who carry her through life
“They stand by me through the hardest times of my life. They have most recently watched me lose myself in someone who was not worthy of my time. They include us in family gatherings, and their husbands step up when my daughter needs a father figure in her life.”
