Funerals have a way of bringing families back together, often after years apart. In this reflection on the loss of my Uncle John, I explore the many faces of grief, why we don't all mourn in the same way, and how saying goodbye can remind us of the importance of gathering while we still can.

Some grief arrives quietly.
Not with chaos, but with silence.

The silence of the child you will never hold.
The future you only realised you wanted when it was already slipping through your fingers.

This piece is one of the hardest things I’ve ever written.
About IVF. About loss. About letting go of the life I thought I still had time for.

And about learning how to survive the ache of becoming someone different than you imagined.

This post explores the quiet grief that can come with the loss of a friendship. Through reflection sparked by EMDR therapy, I examine how one memory reshaped the way I see trust, loyalty, and connection. It is an honest look at the pain of broken bonds, the patterns we carry into our relationships, and the courage it takes to face our imperfections with compassion while continuing to grow.