If you have been a widow for over a year, you may notice the questions getting louder.
What’s going to happen?
Who’s going to take care of me?
What am I going to do now?
There is often a part of you that wants structure again. Meaning. Direction. Something that feels steady under your feet.

And if you are less than a year into this, you may be wondering if you will even make it.
The emotions are high.
The fears feel real.
The doubts feel heavy.
ALL of it seems to much to walk with, and that is normal…. be kind to you.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about why I started Grief and Me.
It truly was something I felt called to do.

I didn’t know how it would come together, but I knew there needed to be a place where women could land. A place of sisterhood.

Not long ago, I went to a widows fellowship here in my hometown at a church I had just started attending. What I noticed surprised me. The women came, had snacks, sat at tables… but no one shared their story. There was no real connection. The leader wasn’t a widow which did confuse me as well, How do you minister to widows if you don’t even know what we are walking with. the retention rate is pretty low, and it seemed like no one really cared. That made me sad to think all of these widows who never go to that group again won’t have support from others just like her.

When I walked into that room, I wanted to talk about Lew. I wanted to listen to other widows talk about their lives, their losses, their fears. I need to believe in hope, But that space didn’t allow for that.

And once again, I felt the quiet confirmation that Grief and Me has become a soft place to land.

I am not perfect.
I have not “gotten over” losing Lew.
I am no better than anyone… I am a widow…. just like you….
I have to work intentionally on my thoughts daily
I believe in my spirit that my Lew’s spirit is with me every day and I think that is what keeps me going. His gentle promptings to keep going keeps my head up. I want to honor him by living and even though every step can feel heavy I believe this for you as well.

That is where the sisterhood comes from.
You may not come to the group because of time.
Or maybe you are not ready yet.
Or maybe you just quietly read and listen.
But hear me when I say this.
You are still part of this space.
Your story matters. It matters to me and to the women in the room. 100%

Whether you feel overwhelmed, curious, numb, mad or unsure, we are here. We link arms. We cry. We rage. We sit quietly. And when the moment comes, we stand again together.

On January 23rd, it will mark two years since Lew died.
Two years without the love of my life.
Two years without my best friend.
Two years of wandering..
Two years of wondering if I am doing this grief thing right.
Two years of finding the parts of Gina that got lost and is being reintroduced again.
Two years of learning how to live on my own.
Two years of wrestling with my God.
Time is moving, I hate that and yet, it is….

And this is what I want to leave you with.
2026 doesn’t have to mean anything.
“Happy New Year” can feel off, almost dismissive (how in the heck can this be Happy?)
It’s simply time moving forward. That’s all… it doesn’t define anything nor will it define you.
There is no pressure make it mean anything. Where you are right now is ok…. sitting in the room with her and knowing she is telling you something really mattered and now it’s gone, and she needs to feel it all.

This letter is just to say… You don’t have to do this alone. I love each and every one of you for trusting me to come into this world with me. I so long to meet you if I haven’t already and I wish beyond wishes I could give you a big hug and wrap you in love.

If you are needing something gentle right now, something that helps you notice your thoughts, soften your nervous system, and breathe again, The Gentle Grief Guide was created for you. It’s a practice that will bring awareness to your thoughts and guided by little old me.

And if you feel that quiet nudge asking, What now? How do I stand in this life that looks nothing like I imagined? then A New Way to Stand may be your next step.

But, what I want to leave you with is that you are not alone… even though you feel alone. We are here to envelope you and love you just the way you are.
Make sure to get on the wait list if you are ready to step into more of you this coming year. Email me if you are ready, Email me if you are not. I love, love, love hearing from you!