My husband, Toby, introduced me to hiking. He gave me the confidence to climb mountains, to camp on top of them. To do what seemed impossible.

When he died last year, his death took the magic out of a lot of things. Hiking was one casualty.

To my husband on his birthday,

It’s your birthday today, but I’ll never buy you another gift.

You’ll never read another card or hear another birthday song.

You and I, we don’t get any more meals, or funny stories, or happy surprises.

My last blog post is on my husband’s first death anniversary.

Have a read. It’s 100% free:

open.substack.com/pub/griefcas...

From my latest story on Grief Casseroles #grief #trauma

open.substack.com/pub/griefcas...

Six months of writing on the blog my husband wanted me to create. When he asked me to share my writing publicly on a Substack, neither of us knew I’d be writing about his death.

I hope he’d be proud.

Please have a read. It’s 100% free. open.substack.com/pub/griefcas...

This is a heavy day. The world is a big machine, and we are small.

But we still matter. Our lives still have meaning. Even when powerful people act like that’s not the case.

#grief #anger #injustice, I see you.

Just a reminder that if you’re entering 2025 in grief, you don’t have to dress it up as a resolution.

Bypassing grief doesn’t work.

Grief isn’t something to conquer.

It’s something to feel.

#grief #griefsupport #griefquotes #bereavement #bereavementsupport #griefandloss #griefcasseroles #death

Grief is…

#grief #bereavement #death #griefandloss #griefsupport #griefquotesworkingthroughgrief #widow #griefeducation

Let’s talk about avoidance and support in grief.

#griefghosting is real and awful to experience. People choose to avoid/ghost for all kinds of reasons, but here’s the thing: Grieving people don’t get that choice. We’re in it.

#grief #griefsupport #griefandloss #bereavement #writing

When we make assumptions about someone's strength, we might be dismissing or overlooking their pain, even if that's not our intention. We might not see what it took them to survive. We might not see that what they really need is support, not a pat on the back. #grief #griefsupport #griefandloss

Christmas in grief… let’s give grief a seat at the table.

#grief #bereavement #loss #youngwidow

I’ve been writing Grief Casseroles for a few months now. Still working hard to build the publication in hopes that it might become a book one day.

The other day, a journalist contacted me to write a piece about Grief Casseroles. Here it is :)

readtheridge.com/this-maple-r...