My mom passed away eight days ago. I was traveling already when she passed. I actually had gotten engaged the day prior, and my dad likes to reassure me that seeing my engagement pictures was the last big smile she produced. She had waited until I left and boarded my plane for Europe, holding on at least that long, telling me, “I’ll do my best,” prior to me leaving, before she took a terrible turn. I knew those words were meant to make me feel okay about leaving. A month before she had told me she promised to hang…
I hear it again and again from friends, kind strangers and even from family sometimes. “At least you know that she is dying, so you have that time with her,” or, “you’re lucky you get this time with her.” I have probably even said these phrases myself over the years to friends who were losing loved ones. But until you go through something like this, you really just don’t understand. So, let’s talk about this for a minute. I totally get that by saying these things, you are trying to be helpful. I’m not trying…
