Category: Vulnerability

Holding Space

The greatest gift you can give a grieving person is to hold space for their grief. Our first instinct is to want to fix the pain that someone is in. But, with death, you can’t fix it because you can’t bring that person back to life or the grief that comes with it. I didn’t…… Continue reading Holding Space

When your heart is broken And you think that you can’t take one more heartache Bravery is not fighting dragons or being a superhero. It’s getting up every morning to face a new day. Showering and getting dressed. Eating Doing your job the best that you can. Crying as you drive, walk, sit, or whatever… Continue reading Bravery in the Face of Grief

Dis/Connected

There is a place that exists when the person you love dies. I see the world through a veil, Dis/Connected from the world around me. I’m physically present, but my being is somewhere else. I can see nature’s beauty and hear the birds singing, And yet, they feel like a distant reminder of life. There’s…… Continue reading Dis/Connected

Found Poetry

Found poetry is picking an article or book and highlighting the words that speak to you and your story. I found inspiration from a New York Times article about Afghan women college students brought to this country to continue their college studies for the next two years. They have lost so much and dropped into…… Continue reading Found Poetry

I Carry You In My Heart

Copyright Jennifer Mullins The hardest thing about the death of a loved one is their physical absence. It takes the brain time to come to terms with a reality it can’t understand. And though Mike and my mom live in my heart, the physical loss can be staggering. After a brief respite of being numb,…… Continue reading I Carry You In My Heart

Grief’s Physical Effects

Seven negative Covid tests in the last few weeks prove that the symptoms I’m experiencing are from grief and not the virus. Tears are easy to recognize as an outward sign of mourning, and they have flowed often from the time mom went on hospice and have continued since her death two weeks ago. However,…… Continue reading Grief’s Physical Effects

Back to Work

I started back to work on January 31st, the first time since my mom died a week ago, though it seems like a year. That’s what time is like when someone dies. Everyone goes on about their lives as if nothing has happened when your world has changed forever. I knew that returning to tutoring…… Continue reading Back to Work

Ambiguous Loss

Copyright Jennifer Mullins Do you ever wake up with a sadness you can’t quite name? It may be from a dream about a loved one who is now dead. Or it may have to do with something that is going on in your life now. When it happens to me, I usually can shake it…… Continue reading Ambiguous Loss

Living With Vulnerability

Copyright Jennifer Mullins On a recent Saturday, I had just turned the corner and was within walking distance of my house when my tire made a strange noise. I got out and checked the tire pressure. They were all at the right level, and I couldn’t see anything wrong with the tires. Unfortunately, when I…… Continue reading Living With Vulnerability