Thank you for sharing such a powerful story of love and loss and locking.
I learned that for every person that I love, I also give permission to break my heart. The other side of the joy of connection, is the pain of loss.
Then the little one said: "When you fall in love, you should leave a little crack in your heart, even when you feel like you should lock it. And that way, the right person can always sneak in.”
This piece feels like the most true-you of all, with just the right nudge for readers. Thank you for this moment, arriving now as I grieve a letting go, not to death, but to mental illness, a loss that replaces an always-close connection with painful untrue projections, and of course, my love remains, with no means to explain, remind, or convince, because that's one of the cruelties of mental illness. So I wait with hope.
Ah, thank you. This is my favorite kind of writing, the real memoir kind... So much of what I write is instructional or educational. But these tender moments of the heart are my favorite things to write about...I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm so sorry about those cruelties of mental illness. Heartbreaking. My heart goes out to you. I hope you write about it...
A lovely story. Apologies for being the one to point out a slight problem in the Epilogue where it repeats itself on a couple of occasions. I thought I was going mad for a second. Not sure if it's something you can quickly edit, or if it even matters, but thought I'd mention anyway!
What beautiful memories to make with your daughter. It’s so heart warming to read heartbreak being tended to in such a way instead of dismissed.
The difference in understanding a person could heal their broken heart would’ve meant no sinking into deep depression for me, breakdown and suicidal tendencies ending with deterioration to my physical health to the point of disability by it, all in my mid 30’s.
The lack of emotional support has been the most damaging out of all the trauma I’ve experienced. Do you find that to be the case in your own work?
I'm so sorry your heartbreak wasn't tended to with gentleness. And yes, it's not so much the thing that happens to us that causes harm. It's whether we are supported, nurtured, co-regulated, believed, validated for our painful feelings, and helped to handle the overwhelm of things like one's first five year old heartbreak. I'm sorry you didn't get that. It makes sense that your body would have born the burden of the untended heartbreak.
Thank you for sharing such a powerful story of love and loss and locking.
I learned that for every person that I love, I also give permission to break my heart. The other side of the joy of connection, is the pain of loss.
Then the little one said: "When you fall in love, you should leave a little crack in your heart, even when you feel like you should lock it. And that way, the right person can always sneak in.”
Wow!
This piece feels like the most true-you of all, with just the right nudge for readers. Thank you for this moment, arriving now as I grieve a letting go, not to death, but to mental illness, a loss that replaces an always-close connection with painful untrue projections, and of course, my love remains, with no means to explain, remind, or convince, because that's one of the cruelties of mental illness. So I wait with hope.
Ah, thank you. This is my favorite kind of writing, the real memoir kind... So much of what I write is instructional or educational. But these tender moments of the heart are my favorite things to write about...I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm so sorry about those cruelties of mental illness. Heartbreaking. My heart goes out to you. I hope you write about it...
O my God. What a different perspective. How precious. And wise. Thank you.
So beautiful...Your daughter is so very fortunate...XO
A lovely story. Apologies for being the one to point out a slight problem in the Epilogue where it repeats itself on a couple of occasions. I thought I was going mad for a second. Not sure if it's something you can quickly edit, or if it even matters, but thought I'd mention anyway!
What beautiful memories to make with your daughter. It’s so heart warming to read heartbreak being tended to in such a way instead of dismissed.
The difference in understanding a person could heal their broken heart would’ve meant no sinking into deep depression for me, breakdown and suicidal tendencies ending with deterioration to my physical health to the point of disability by it, all in my mid 30’s.
The lack of emotional support has been the most damaging out of all the trauma I’ve experienced. Do you find that to be the case in your own work?
I'm so sorry your heartbreak wasn't tended to with gentleness. And yes, it's not so much the thing that happens to us that causes harm. It's whether we are supported, nurtured, co-regulated, believed, validated for our painful feelings, and helped to handle the overwhelm of things like one's first five year old heartbreak. I'm sorry you didn't get that. It makes sense that your body would have born the burden of the untended heartbreak.
It’s been a painful long winded way to learn that but that definitely resonates with what I am learning☺️