A mother is the portal by which you enter the world.

If the condition of grief is nearly universal, its transactions are exquisitely personal.

The truth is, I need to experience my mother's presence in the world around me and not just in my head.

It's a blessing not to be alone in your grief but it's also painful to see your parents and siblings in pain.

Sometimes you don't even know what you want until you find out you can't have it.

One of the grubby truths about a loss is that you don't just mourn the dead person, you mourn the person you got to be when the lost one was alive. This loss might even be what affects you the most.

A death from a long illness is very different from a sudden death. It gives you time to say goodbye and time to adjust to the idea that the beloved will not be with you anymore.