Mother Loss

Two people sitting apart on a couch, not touching

“Take Care of Her” Became a Life Sentence

By

How my mother’s final request bound me to a relationship I couldn’t fix—and couldn’t leave.

Writing the Story My Mother Never Got to Tell

By

Long after her death, I used the tools of journalism to reckon with memory, regret, and love.

The Hot Tears, Red-Blotches-on-Your-Face, Autopilot Sides of Grief

By

What I learned about the natural range of emotions after my sister's and mom's deaths

I Met My Fiancé in a Modern Loss Support Group

By

When I logged onto Zoom to lead a session on friendship, my true love was waiting in the grid.

Grieving in Blue

By

After my mom died, I discovered a world of new meaning in my favorite color.

The Vaccine Wasn’t Ready in Time to Save Mom

By

In the minutes after getting my jab, it was hard not to think about time. If my mother had fallen now instead of then, she likely would have already received her COVID shots.

I Became A Grandmother At Age 30

By

My kids have no idea what they are missing by not having my mother around. So I try and make sure they don’t miss a thing,

Letters From My Dead Mom in Animal Crossing

By

We never meet the video game's Mom character, so my mind fills in the blanks with the face of my own.

Things I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You About Your Funeral

By

From a TV anchor mourner to a dive bar 'post-party,' you really would've loved it.

Will I Be All Right Again in 2021?

By

In 2019 my mom died. In 2020 we had a family suicide, a botched burial, and a catastrophic pandemic. Now, I’m looking ahead to 2021 — with (gasp!) hope.

A Person Is a World

By

My mother’s death was followed closely by the pandemic — creating this strange and still and endless space in which everyone is grieving something.

How Day of the Dead Gave Me Life

By

Embracing the Mexican tradition helped me deal with my anger after my mom's death.

What I Wish I Could Tell My Younger Grieving Self

By

45 years after my mom died, I finally know the impact of loss across time.

Rapid Cycling Through the Stages of Grief on Amazon

By

I went online to buy an urn and made a surprisingly meaningful connection.

How I’m Creating the Grief Vocabulary My Language Doesn’t Have

By

The Dutch wish each other strength to move through tough times. But in loss, we need different words of support.

My Relationship With My Dad Changed After My Mom Died

By

Here's what I learned about embracing a new dynamic with a surviving parent.

12 Diverse YA Books That Taught Me About Grief

By

I turned to the genre for a distraction and got so much more.

After a Mother’s Death, Drawing All The Things

By

Art speaks volumes when words fail, and especially in 'The Imaginary Library.'

Mom’s Minivan: A Cartoon

By

My childhood minivan was layers of disgusting. It was also a place where I spent a ton of time with my mom when she was alive. This is the story of both of those things.

A Rabbi’s Reluctant Lesson in Grief

By

I paid a painful price to become a better leader for my congregation.

1 2 3 … 7