30/10/2025
When we lose someone dear to us, time takes on a different meaning. The first year after loss becomes marked not only by the passing of months but by a series of firsts ~ the first birthday without them, the first Christmas, the first family gathering, the first anniversary. Each one feels like a milestone you never wanted to reach, a reminder that life continues, even when your heart feels as though it has stopped.
Before loss, our calendars were filled with plans, celebrations, and reminders of shared moments. After loss, those same dates become emotional landmarks - quiet echoes of what used to be.
A birthday might now be spent lighting a candle instead of baking a cake. A wedding anniversary may become a day of reflection instead of celebration. Even ordinary days like Sunday lunches, school events, or the start of a new season can feel heavy with memories.
Holidays are especially difficult. Traditions that once brought joy can now stir up deep sadness. The empty chair at the table, the missing voice in the laughter - it all highlights the space your loved one once filled.
And yet, within that pain, there’s a quiet opportunity: to honour their memory in ways that bring comfort.
Some families choose to start new traditions; lighting a special candle, visiting a favourite place, or sharing stories about their loved one. These acts don’t erase the sadness, but they weave love and remembrance into the fabric of new beginnings.
Grief changes us. It reshapes our view of the world, our priorities, our sense of time. The first year is not about “getting over it,” but learning how to live with the loss. How to carry love forward in a life that looks different now.
And slowly, in your own time, you begin to find meaning again...
📌Give yourself permission to feel - joy, sadness, anger, nostalgia.
📌Mark the days in ways that feel right to you, whether quietly alone or surrounded by others.
📌Ask for support when the weight feels too heavy.
And, remind yourself how far you have come. Be proud of surviving every "first". We are still here ✨
With love, Mariandra 🤍
