Losing People You Love, Grief Loss and Being at a Loss

 Hot Mess Momma here today with a heavy heart. I hope ya'll are doing well and remembering to tell the people you love that you love them and love the people you're with. I've lost 2 dear friends this week. One was to a sudden and ravaging illness. The other is what is most likely a suicide, but that has not been determined yet. Both women were near and dear to my heart in different ways. They were the special kind of friends you could only talk to once in a while, but it was always as if you hadn't missed a day. They each had a very strong and lasting impression on my life as I met them both in recovery. One I met in rehab in 2020, and the other I met last year in sober living. These losses have hit me hard and shaken me mentally and emotionally, as only death can do. First and foremost, my heart aches for their families and their feelings. I was reminded how easy it is to take our friends and family for granted. It is easy to assume that they will be there when you are ready to apologize, say I love you, return a phone call, or even make the time to say hello or catch up. What if they're not, though? In taking our loved ones and their presence for granted and not being present in every moment, we lose our chance to make meaningful and lasting memories, enjoy and make the most of the time that our loved ones and we have.

In life, we may not always have the ability or opportunity to be with the people we would like to be with. Either because they live too far away or because of some petty offense that we haven't made right for whatever reason. What we can do, though, is take a cue from the legendary musical group Crosby, Stills and Nash: "If you can't be with the one you love, honey, love the one you're with." Make it a point to cultivate and nurture meaningful, honest relationships built on trust, mutual respect, honesty, and love. I believe that with this attitude and intent, we will all be just a little happier and more connected to the world around us, and after all, that's what it's all about. Right?

Sending Positive Vibes and Energy Your Way, 

Hot Mess Momma