Good Grief & Healing

05/11/2026

Many people are thinking about their mother today.... Be gentle with yourself as you reflect... Obviously, not just adult children but this is a resource we hope some find helpful.

05/09/2026

“On those days when you miss someone the most, as though your memories are sharp enough to slice through skin and bone, remember how they loved you.

Remember how they loved you and do that, for yourself. In their name, in their honor.

Love yourself, as they loved you.

They would like that.

On those days when you miss someone the most, love yourself harder.” - Donna Ashworth.

www.stephysplace.org

05/09/2026

A lot of anxiety in widowhood
comes from trying to do everything alone.

Every decision
Every form
Every “what do I do next?”

You weren’t meant to carry this much
by yourself.

If today feels heavy…

it’s not because you’re weak.

It’s because you’re carrying something real.

Love you, widow friends

05/09/2026

🤍🫂🤍

05/07/2026

05/06/2026

Grief is being tired in a way sleep does not fix.

You can sleep for hours, even days, and still wake up feeling like you have not rested at all. Because this is not physical tired. This is grief tired- the kind that comes from carrying something all the time. Thinking about them, missing them, replaying things, bracing yourself for the next wave that you know is coming.

It is the exhaustion of having to exist in a life that does not match the one you had. Of doing basic things while part of you is somewhere else entirely. Of answering questions, making decisions, showing up when everything in you feels done.

And the hard part is that it does not look like anything from the outside. People see you functioning, getting through the day, and assume you are ok or getting better. They do not see how much effort it takes just to stay upright inside your own life.

If you are feeling this kind of tired, the kind that rest does not touch, nothing is wrong with you. This is grief, too. It wears you down in ways that are hard to explain. Try to give yourself a little more space where you can. You are carrying something heavy, and there are others of us carrying it too… you are not alone in this kind of tired.

05/03/2026

Mother’s Day can be beautiful for some…
and incredibly painful for others.

For the mothers whose child is no longer physically here,
this day can feel heavy in ways words rarely explain.

You may smile for others while silently aching inside.
You may avoid the stores, the commercials, the flowers, the reminders.
Or maybe you hold tighter to the memories today.

But please know this:

You are still a mother.

Love does not end because someone is no longer physically beside us.
The bond between a mother and her child does not disappear.
It changes form…. but it still exists.

So if today is hard, give yourself permission to grieve,
to remember,
to cry,
to smile at old memories,
and to honor your child in whatever way feels right to your heart.

And if no one has told you lately…

💛Your love still matters.
💛Your motherhood still matters.
💛Your child’s life will always matter.

With love to every bereaved mother today.

Michelle 💛💛💛

Iamstillheremom.com

05/03/2026

International Bereaved Mothers Day - 🕯️

This day honors mothers who have lost a child or children. It also recognizes women who long to be mothers but cannot due to infertility or other health reasons.

Most people don’t even know this day exists. I didn’t—until I lost my son.

If you are part of this bereavement community, I am so sorry you are here. You are not alone.

If you are newly bereaved, my heart is especially with you. This pain is overwhelming in ways words can’t fully hold.

Losing a child is losing a piece of your heart and soul. It is the most painful thing you will ever experience. At times, it can feel impossible to survive—you may wonder how anyone could live through this kind of pain. 💔

This time of year is especially hard as we approach Mother’s Day while carrying the absence of our children. The hole in our hearts never disappears, and this season can deepen the ache.

Mother’s Day is one of those days that can hurt in a physical way—an all-over ache. Many of us carry that pain quietly while the world celebrates around us. 😔

However you get through this day is enough. Grieve in the way that feels right to you. Let yourself feel what comes.
If you need to cry, let it come.
Put yourself first—without guilt.

🌸 Say their names
🌼 Light a candle and honor their memory
🌺 Tell their stories

Please be gentle with yourself on this incredibly hard day.

Remember—it’s okay to not be okay. 💗💐

Sending a virtual hug to everyone walking this painful path of loss and grief.