Missing Someone at Christmas - 014

Dec 23

Christmas is such a fun and exciting season, however for those who have lost a loved one it can also be a very challenging and isolating time. In this episode I speak openly about how I've learned to better handle grief and loss during the festive season. I share advice on how to still show up and enjoy Christmas Day, whilst also healthily processing your pain and honouring your loved one.

To anyone missing someone this Christmas..

You are not alone.

You are part of a community of hearts missing someone around the world.

You are part of a community who knows how the empty seat at the table feels, the one less name on your list of presents to buy, the pang in your chest when you see a happy snap of families all together - a community who knows grief doesn’t give you a break on Christmas Day, in fact it often digs deeper.

So when that tidal wave overwhelms you these next few days, ride it as far as you need to. And then push through for a breath of fresh air by remembering that the grief is so deep, because the love is so deep. The only way to escape this pain, is to have never have had that person in your life - to have never laughed with them, hugged them, explored, seen, tasted, felt and experienced all the memories that you did with them. The only thing more unbearable than the hurt of missing my sister, is the thought of my life without having ever had her in it.

We may no longer be able to buy some of our loved ones presents this year, but the universe gave us the best present of all; their presence. A presence we can no longer see; but feel. Always. Through remembering things like their favourite food, song, colour, movie, necklace, drink, saying, car, quote, place to hang out — Your loved one may not be here; but we can still keep them near. As close to our heart as we want them to be, and I can tell you Nicole -

you’re never further than a heartbeat away from mine.

Merry Christmas to all of my beautiful listeners, thank you for your support today and always xoxo

“It’s okay to feel sad and miss someone at Christmas -
respect it as part of your humanness.
And do not let it make you bitter;
because the only way to grieve,
is to have loved.
And what a beautiful gift that is.;
a gift that lives on outside the hands of time.”

— Kate Fitzsimons

A photo of my sister giving our dog, Cooper, a present in 2011 - the last Christmas we shared together.