For the first time this year, I realized how bittersweet a New Year’s Eve can be.
In September, my grandmother passed away. She was an amazing woman–the heart of the family–and it’s still hard to believe she’s really gone. Already, it seems there have been so many milestones to mark her absence… October 9th would’ve been my grandparents’ 61st wedding anniversary. November 25th (Thanksgiving Day) would have been her 82nd birthday. Then, the first Christmas. And now, the first new year…
For anyone who’s lost a loved one, the New Year acts as time stamp of sorts – just one more step in the process of saying goodbye. Another year without them. A year they never got to see.
Time marches on, and with each new milestone, we remember those who are no longer with us.
It’s curious to think about how we let go of someone we love while still holding on to them.
Instead of the typical New Year’s Resolutions, I’ve been thinking more about how to cultivate meaning and creativity in my life, intentionally, every day.
It’s a daunting task. Where do you even begin? I’ll be writing more about this throughout the year, but for now, I want to leave you with this thought to ponder:
As you make your goals and plans for this new year—creative and otherwise—consider what you can do in memory of your loved one(s).
What might you do with your time and talents to honor their memory? How can you contribute something meaningful to the world?
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I’ve been thinking about this and considering ideas for what I can do this year in honor of my grandmother. And last night, while brushing my teeth, I came up with a great idea that I’m really excited about! Let’s just say that it involves knitting for a good cause, and I might need your help spreading the word once I get started! Stay tuned for more details on that…
“Time marches on” and I would add “unfortunately.” My father passed away this year and it was such a terrible loss. I wanted time to stop if only briefly so that I could ache, hurt and grieve for my loss. As you know, each morning the sun came up and every evening it dropped back down into the horizon. So many things remind me of him and as the new year started, I thought about how I have to plan my life without him being a part of it. Death happens to everyone, but when it touches so close to our own lives, we finally feel the fragility of life.
I’m sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing this here.
When my grandmother passed away, some of my deepest moments of grief where thinking about the loss from my mother’s perspective. No matter how much I loved my grandmother and grieve her passing, I know how much more difficult it would be to lose my mother (or father). Another level of grief entirely.
And, even when you know a loss is coming, it doesn’t make it any easier.