Life shaped by loss... · Kettle And Candle

Life shaped by loss...

I wanted to introduce myself honestly, because this is one of the few kinds of spaces where honesty actually belongs.

I’ve lived with a lot of loss.

I’m the only surviving member of my family of origin. My mother died when I was 27 and pregnant with my second child. My brother died at 49.My niece was murdered in 2011 at the age of 18.

My husband lives with CLL — it’s quiet right now and likely will be for years, but the not-knowing is part of our daily weather.

Because of this, I think about death, grief, and legacy a lot. Not in a morbid way — more as companions. They’ve shaped how I love, how I choose, and how I pay attention to what matters.

I’m deeply grateful for a community where we can name the ugly, tender, unsayable parts out loud — without rushing to make meaning or turn pain into inspiration.

I’m here to listen, to learn, and to be alongside others who know that grief doesn’t make us broken — it makes us human.

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