Grief is universal, and yet this experience is so often swept into the shadows. Those in grief may feel hurried through their sorrow so that they can function and not cause other people discomfort. When I lost Elijah, I tried to do those things, but the cost of doing so broke me. This book is about what living honestly with one of the hardest losses I know of has been like. It raises questions about what healing actually is; it narrates the ways that grief can compound and play out. The book does not try to square the hardship of grief with the good that can come from it. It simply shares my story.

My book was born of musings on grief and it was recently accepted for publication. With this gift comes responsibility, and I am looking to create space to revise the work and have it ready for publication in the next three months.

The book is really close to my heart (see video), and it is the culmination of reflecting upon being a bereaved mother for over 20 years. I think the time has come to share these reflections as so many of us have been grieving these past 2 plus years. Loss and trauma often intersect, and this book is an honest examination of bereavement that is kind and tender. Hope is present even in the moments when our hearts are broken, maybe especially then. I hope that this book can bring hope and kindness to the places in all of us that have been hurting.

I appreciate any help as I am still doing all the everyday things (parenting, providing, working part-time). Any gifts are appreciated. It would mean the world to me to be able to carve out some focused time to revise this work —  a creative sanctuary of sorts to have THIS kind of baby :).