Unimaginable Grief and Unexpected Blessings

04/12/2026

04/10/2026

Say their name. Never to be erased. Always remember. They are us and we are them.

03/29/2026

This….

Most of us move through life assuming things will work out.

Until one day… they don’t.

I.R.💜

03/23/2026

A beautifully written description of how love expands and shows up in ways you could never imagine.

This is the very description I have of my daughter and why I was beyond devastated when she died at 17.

To raise a daughter like Poppy is to watch love take a new shape…one you didn’t know existed until she placed it gently in your hands. How are you 11 yrs old today???

She carries a quiet strength, the kind that doesn’t need to be loud to be unbreakable. In her kindness, the world softens; in her courage, it expands. She moves through life with a joy that feels like sunlight….unexpected, warming everything it touches and a heart so open it redefines what it means to give and to receive.

Before her, love was something I thought I understood. But Poppy has rewritten it. She has made it deeper, braver, more patient, more alive. Loving her has stretched my soul in ways I didn’t know were possible, and in doing so, she has become not just my daughter, but my greatest teacher. Happiest Birthday sweet Poppy.

03/17/2026

Grief Long Term

I’ve written about this before but somehow seeing it a bit differently as the 20 year mark of Brittany’s passing nears this fall.

I can remember that even the first days were a blur, then week after week, the pressure in my chest eased slightly and I could begin breathe again. At the four year mark, I recall thinking “it seems like yesterday, will it ever feel differently”. I can say for me that it is different, but at times, feels like yesterday. But mostly there is a distance from that time compared to now. It seems like a lifetime ago.

Would love to hear from you on your grief journey and how it looks differently now verses the first 24 months.

Check out the full article on my blog: MySoulSpeaks link below.

Grieving has been described differently by many. The rules of the road vary for everyone. Grief is unique that way. But one thing I think can resonate with everyone and that is “grief is long term”…

03/15/2026

Have you ever thought about the "what ifs" after the loss of someone? I was stuck with all the things I could have or should have done, but where did that get me? What could I have learned from those choices?

The lesson rests in the knowledge that you cannot change the past. But you can redirect the present and future. I learned from my past choices and now look to guide my present and future with choices that will hopefully leave no stone unturned when it comes to how I lived my remaining years on this earth.

I cannot change the past, but I can make a present and future a place where I can sit and be joyful, grateful and satisfied.

03/12/2026

Topic of child loss and specifically losing your only child will impact the remainder of your life. I address this in my book Grief Blessings: A Story of Unimaginable Loss and Unexpected Blessings. My book is available through my publisher Bookbaby (see link below). It is also available via e-book at B&N. Amazon is offering it but shows it is currently out-of-stock and will take longer to receive.

My hope has always been that my book is available for grieving parents who have lost their child. I went many years without much guidance from grieving parents who had traveled this lonely road before me.

If you or someone you know would benefit from my book, please let me know or go directly to the links below to purchase.

If you have read my book and feel compelled to leave a review, please do as it will push the book out to a wider audience to help more parents.

Thank you!

Mal

https://store.bookbaby.com/book/grief-blessings

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grief-blessings-mal-moss/1143409582?ean=9781667897523

https://www.amazon.com/Grief-Blessings-Story-Unimaginable-Unexpected/dp/1667897519/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dRDrWxPG-346oef2RMpIQtuxg6PjU5DSc3Anv-ryz6o.wwbI8sOLlycHKgHxmvYHSBdhjckXlXaUsEypplh3Nts&qid=1773334033&sr=8-1

03/08/2026

A powerful post by a young lady who just lost her father. She is wise beyond her years.

03/07/2026

Every now and again I wear the bracelet that I made after Brittany died.

The feeling of pride comes over me when I put it on as it reminds me of the most amazing human I made and raised to the age of 17.11 months.

She was a beautiful spirit inside and out. Didn’t care what people thought and lived life out loud. Even while she experienced bullying throughout her life. It may have bothered her a bit but she’d quickly recover and smile. Going on her merry way celebrating life.

I miss her with every core of my body and soul.

M

02/18/2026

A great podcast segment - worth listening.

02/14/2026

I’ve always wondered how my grief might look like to others. I know how it feels on the inside. So I asked ChatGpt to create an image of my grief based on what is known from my various asks while I research. This is what it created. This is a perfect depiction of how I feel on the inside and the work daily to cover it up.

In the dark of the night I weep. It is exhausting. Overwhelming.

Each day I wake up and try to find ways to enjoy life and for the most part that works. I am grateful for the life I have today.

There is usually something on any given day that triggers the “work” of managing my grief that leads to this exhausted and worn out version of me.

M