It was a comfort to read your post. My wife's mother died unexpectedly a year ago today. My wife has a stomach bug, so we're putting off our observation of this milestone in our grief until she's better. All the best.
A full year in the Jewish tradition is a milestone. It's called a Yahrzeit. It marks the completion of the official mourning. We say the kaddish and "move on." While it's not so easy to just move on, I've noticed that the one year anniversary has made a difference, psychologically, in people's lives.
Beautiful piece. Thanks for sharing. I'm so sorry for this tragic loss.
what a beautiful tradition! I've long admired the Jewish tradition of shiva, and here's another one to think about. It's inspiring to hear how different traditions and cultures mark these sorts of milestones.
This is so well put--for something so awful to feel. My mom recently died and posting about it online felt like a step in the process, and I soon realized I'd shared the logical culmination of all my posts about her declining health, a shock to no one but me. You just articulated why this isn't enough, but I did want to say how sad I am for you, both at the loss and that our bizarro screen world made this harder.
thank you, Sarah. Reading about your mom's passing definitely made me feel less alone in my grief. Which, I guess, is the reason we do what we do, even if it does sometimes feel weird and performative?
“I wanted to touch the lake, to thank the water for holding him when I could not.” 💔
Beautifully written, the whole thing.
thanks, Jen
So moving and powerful. We are such a strange society, so clueless about death and grief. Thank you for sharing your experience.
yes, it's funny how avoidant we are, culturally, about death, isn't it?
It was a comfort to read your post. My wife's mother died unexpectedly a year ago today. My wife has a stomach bug, so we're putting off our observation of this milestone in our grief until she's better. All the best.
I'm so sorry for your loss. Glad you're planning something to mark the anniversary. I'm trying to put something in the works for my brother, too.
So beautiful, Katharine. Thank you for sharing this (and Karl) with us.
thanks, Lindsey
A full year in the Jewish tradition is a milestone. It's called a Yahrzeit. It marks the completion of the official mourning. We say the kaddish and "move on." While it's not so easy to just move on, I've noticed that the one year anniversary has made a difference, psychologically, in people's lives.
Beautiful piece. Thanks for sharing. I'm so sorry for this tragic loss.
what a beautiful tradition! I've long admired the Jewish tradition of shiva, and here's another one to think about. It's inspiring to hear how different traditions and cultures mark these sorts of milestones.
👏❤️🥰🙏
Thanks for this. It’s made this day in February a little more bearable.
Thank you. Beautifully and lovingly written.
thanks, Lori
This is so well put--for something so awful to feel. My mom recently died and posting about it online felt like a step in the process, and I soon realized I'd shared the logical culmination of all my posts about her declining health, a shock to no one but me. You just articulated why this isn't enough, but I did want to say how sad I am for you, both at the loss and that our bizarro screen world made this harder.
thank you, Sarah. Reading about your mom's passing definitely made me feel less alone in my grief. Which, I guess, is the reason we do what we do, even if it does sometimes feel weird and performative?