Mother Loss

Father-Daughter Death Spiral

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My mother's and grandfather's simultaneous illnesses challenged their shared worldview that the world could be managed.

The Future, Without Me

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I am a happily married mother of two young children and I have terminal lung cancer. These days, I’m consumed with curiosity — and worry — about what my husband’s and children’s lives will look like after I’m gone.

Star Wars Episode Infinity: The Force of Grief

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The 'Machete Order' suggests watching the original episodes with flashback scenes from the prequels inserted throughout. Sounds a lot like my personal loss narrative.

What People (Don’t) Do After Hearing About a Friend’s Loss

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After a mother's death, a woman's inbox gets the cold shoulder from some valued pals. Our advice guru weighs in.

The Breakup

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Just over a year after my mom died, my boyfriend of three years walked out — carrying his deodorant and phone charger. And then, I was grieving all over again.

Et Tu, Betty?

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The Modern Loss TV club, a.k.a. Rebecca and Gabi, dissects the big 'Mad Men' news, and looks ahead to the series finale.

How I’m Making Mother’s Day My Bitch

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I've spent years wallowing on this Hallmark holiday, missing my dead mom. This time, though, I'm making it my own.

Mother’s Day, Millennial Style

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How Tootsie Rolls and apple cider helped bring my haphazard support system together on the first Mother's Day after my mom's death.

Why I’m Eating French Fries on Mother’s Day

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My mom loved fresh vegetables, until she became too sick to eat them. Towards the end, all she — and I — could stomach was french fries.

6 Tips for Writing An Investigative Memoir

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Curious about what goes into writing an investigative memoir? Journalist Jessica Barraco invites you into the process of researching her own mother's life.

Inside the Recipe Box

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My late mom's handwritten, ingredient-stained recipe cards are among my most cherished possessions. Here's why.

Leaning In, My Way

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I dove into back into work after my daughter was born. As a motherless mother, I soon realized I'd made the wrong choice.

Recital Envy

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At my daughters' concerts and school performances, I see all the happy grandparents, snapping photos and bearing flowers. That's when I feel my own mother's loss most acutely.

Divorce as Primer

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I became a divorcée at 29. Months later, my mother suddenly died. The isolation I felt after my marriage ended gave me the tools to deal with her loss.

In Praise of Canada’s Assisted Suicide Decision

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I am still haunted by watching my mother die in the hospital, attached to so many machines. What if she could have died on her own terms?

When Everything Scared Me

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After my parents died in a plane crash, there was grief, pain and loneliness. But above all, there was fear — until there wasn’t.

Wild, Like Me

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In a sold-out movie theater, watching the film based on Cheryl Strayed's bestseller, I saw my own experience with mother loss play out on the big screen.

Older Than She Was

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I’ve officially lived longer than my mother did. Only now, on the other side, have I come to understand the life she lived.

On Thanksgiving, Hitting the ‘Reset’ Button

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We never had any holiday traditions, like the ones you see on TV. But in my mom's absence — and in her honor — I'm creating some.

How Much Information Is Too Much Information?

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I have so many questions about my mother's tragic accident. But will the details of her death provide me with relief or will it traumatize me all over again? Weighing the pros and cons of fact-finding.

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