​Turn Grief Into a Joyful Memory

Dear Enchanted One,

Yesterday marked eight years since my beloved mother departed this Earth, at the age of 91. This photo was taken of her on Mother’s Day when she was 90.

On her birthday, for the first three years after her death, I spent most of the day crying, although I’m absolutely clear that nothing would have upset her more.

To honor her memory, the following year we decided to throw a family birthday party, which she always loved, and serve her favorite foods, displaying photos of her on the table, along with things she loved, such as birds, hydrangeas, gardening, etc. Next to her photo was a seed packet of Forget-Me-Nots.

She always proudly wore the sweatshirts that I handprinted for her and our daughters and I donned them. I made grilled chicken drumsticks, corn on the cob, green beans with almonds, Iceberg lettuce wedges with cherry tomatoes and lots of dressing, along with herbal tea and pistachio ice cream for dessert.

We shared memories and funny stories and ended our celebration with a family game night. We all felt as if her spirit had been present in the room and she was smiling!

If you’ve lost loved ones, perhaps they, too, would want you to live your life remembering them in celebration. Think about how you might honor them with acts of love and joy.

Stay enchanted.