Dammit Kate. I’m sobbing in seat 19C and there’s not a thing I can do about it. This was gutting and beautiful and totally did me in. The thought of you trying to comfort your mom. And also, I know what it’s like to be a mom with teenage kids and the struggle it is to keep it together when you’re grieving. You captured everything so beautifully, but most of all the love. Happy Birthday to your mom. She made an incredible daughter. Love you.
This is terribly moving. Having seen grief at a similar age, some of your protective feelings are really familiar. I can in hindsight see that deep grief is the only way through deep loss, and there’s nothing you can or should do to fix it. You couldn’t ease her pain, it was part of her love. But it’s almost impossible to process at the time. Your gift was beautiful and might have helped her feel seen and understood
Hey Kate, I don’t pretend to know anything about healing actually works. I used to have life pretty much figured out until I didn’t. So I no longer believe I can extrapolate from my experience to broader truths. It may be cliche, but we all truly must live out our truth. That said, and fwiw, I have come to believe that there is a form of personal and cosmic healing that continues beyond this plane. At least I think that’s what I’ve experienced and, reading your beautiful tribute to your mom, I hope that is what you and your mom are experiencing. In the eternal order of things I believe love is at the heart of all existence and all matter. And whether you can believe my fanciful and hopeful projections, I hope you feel pleasure for putting more good into the Universe. Peace.
Every story you tell is gripping. This one ached of humanness—of daughterhood and motherhood and grief and kindness and dear god! Everything you write is alive.
Ahh, Kate; you capture the cumulative life-force of grief in a powerful re-telling of your own life. You describe how it wells up and creates an overwhelming of emotions, often triggered by seemingly unrelated stimulus. To love deeply is to have fully lived. To have loved many humans deeply is to invite a walk with sadness that nobody can fathom until they have personally walked that path. Beautiful writing! It opened my own chasm of sadness!!!
Dammit Kate. I’m sobbing in seat 19C and there’s not a thing I can do about it. This was gutting and beautiful and totally did me in. The thought of you trying to comfort your mom. And also, I know what it’s like to be a mom with teenage kids and the struggle it is to keep it together when you’re grieving. You captured everything so beautifully, but most of all the love. Happy Birthday to your mom. She made an incredible daughter. Love you.
Thanks Ally— for always being so kind. Tell the person in 19B I’m sorry lol
Thank you for sharing your moving story. It was a privilege to read about your dear mum. She treasured the plaque you made her.
Thanks for being here and reading it. I appreciate your kind words
This is terribly moving. Having seen grief at a similar age, some of your protective feelings are really familiar. I can in hindsight see that deep grief is the only way through deep loss, and there’s nothing you can or should do to fix it. You couldn’t ease her pain, it was part of her love. But it’s almost impossible to process at the time. Your gift was beautiful and might have helped her feel seen and understood
Thank you so much for reading it 🤍
Hey Kate, I don’t pretend to know anything about healing actually works. I used to have life pretty much figured out until I didn’t. So I no longer believe I can extrapolate from my experience to broader truths. It may be cliche, but we all truly must live out our truth. That said, and fwiw, I have come to believe that there is a form of personal and cosmic healing that continues beyond this plane. At least I think that’s what I’ve experienced and, reading your beautiful tribute to your mom, I hope that is what you and your mom are experiencing. In the eternal order of things I believe love is at the heart of all existence and all matter. And whether you can believe my fanciful and hopeful projections, I hope you feel pleasure for putting more good into the Universe. Peace.
Love is the drug. Thanks Robert 🙏🏼
Every story you tell is gripping. This one ached of humanness—of daughterhood and motherhood and grief and kindness and dear god! Everything you write is alive.
What did I do before you? Thanks Lex ❤️
Simply beautiful ❤️
❤️ thank you
Ahh, Kate; you capture the cumulative life-force of grief in a powerful re-telling of your own life. You describe how it wells up and creates an overwhelming of emotions, often triggered by seemingly unrelated stimulus. To love deeply is to have fully lived. To have loved many humans deeply is to invite a walk with sadness that nobody can fathom until they have personally walked that path. Beautiful writing! It opened my own chasm of sadness!!!
Thanks for reading it! Appreciate your kind words — means a lot
Your words...your words get me every time. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Sending love to your sweet mother and to you.
Thank you so much— really means a lot.
Thank you Kate.
This is a loving, lovely piece of writing. I know that irrationality that comes with a mother's death.
What a beautiful way to remember your mum on her birthday, Kate.
“It’s nothing, honey. I’m fine. I just miss my sisters.”
That "nothing", that "just"! I can't imagine how she must have really felt, after so much loss in her life.
That plaque you made for her is so special. Glad you've still got it.