Really beautiful post. But also can we just bring mourning jewelry back? I don't care if its for your loved ones, your pets, whatever. Normalize it. It's such a beautiful, loving tribute And who doesn't love the macabre (a lot of people, I guess, but who cares)?
I freaked out on my mom when she tried to get rid of my boyfriend's toothbrush and razors when we were dealing with his things after he died. I was fine with packing away/giving away his clothes and so many other things, but I totally couldn't handle getting rid of his toothbrush. Grief is so weird.
Ashley, this is beautiful. I’m reading it from the couch in the living room while eating trail mix - from the spot in the living room where my husband J died in the hospital bed
My brother died at home a few months ago, also after a couple of months of hospice. I was there recently for the first time since he died and I sat in the chair next to where his bed was. I’m with your husband on the non believer of woo woo side but it was the closest I’ve felt to him. Thank you for your beautiful words.
This was so beautiful. You put into words what’s so difficult to say after losing someone you love. My weird talisman after my dad died is this sweatshirt that i don’t wear because it has the overwhelming smell of his cologne but that’s also exactly why i keep it. Every time i open one of my drawers, it’s a comforting reminder.
Ugh Ashley this is beyond beautiful (& funny, I love your humor). Death really IS a cunt. Thank you for sharing parts of your grief with us so often; it doesn't go unappreciated. You've helped me sooo much with my own grieving journey and I'll forever be grateful <3333
I lost my Mom last year and I've kept everything - hair ties, a lock of her hair I took after she passed, a crumpled Halloween napkin, her makeup, her nightgown in a Ziploc because it smells like her. I also have an ashes ring. I hope she haunts me too, benevolently of course. I don't think I truly realized how hard grieving and mourning is. Sending lots of love. Thank you for you words.
Hoping it’s been done many times over but how beautiful would a zine compilation of this be: “Mourners get it. I know they do, because they’ve told me all the strange little things they cling to following the death of a loved one.”
A grief ritual I did as my mom was dying (and still return to) was watching videos of grief songs “someday we’ll be together” that one Bread song, etc and reading allllllll the comments of people expressing their grief. Thank you for writing this 💜
So excited for Bad Brain! Carl Jung had a theory about synchronicity pointing towards a deeper layer of reality. Dunno if that includes ghosts... But I did have a dream some time last year, you and Rob were in it and we were all inside a room. There was a door in the room and outside there was an angry grizzly bear. The bear was trying to get into the room. Rob said, "I'm going to go outside so it doesn't come in," and he left. I thought, "hmm that was very brave of him" and that was the end of the dream. The next day I saw a post on your Instagram that it was Rob's birthday. I thought, "hmm thats definitely a synchronicity." Much love ❤️
Dying is one of the few things every single one of us will do. For those who come from cultures that don’t celebrate or even acknowledge the process of dying and living after the death of a loved one, the experience can be so isolating. Talking about it makes it so much easier to bear and other people’s discomfort is their’s to carry. I love that you made jewelry from your husband’s ashes. How beautiful to adorn yourself in y’all’s love everlasting.
Really beautiful post. But also can we just bring mourning jewelry back? I don't care if its for your loved ones, your pets, whatever. Normalize it. It's such a beautiful, loving tribute And who doesn't love the macabre (a lot of people, I guess, but who cares)?
I freaked out on my mom when she tried to get rid of my boyfriend's toothbrush and razors when we were dealing with his things after he died. I was fine with packing away/giving away his clothes and so many other things, but I totally couldn't handle getting rid of his toothbrush. Grief is so weird.
Oh, I absolutely have a few things that I'm holding on to for THE most deranged reasons...again, only mourners get it.
Ashley, this is beautiful. I’m reading it from the couch in the living room while eating trail mix - from the spot in the living room where my husband J died in the hospital bed
My brother died at home a few months ago, also after a couple of months of hospice. I was there recently for the first time since he died and I sat in the chair next to where his bed was. I’m with your husband on the non believer of woo woo side but it was the closest I’ve felt to him. Thank you for your beautiful words.
This was so beautiful. You put into words what’s so difficult to say after losing someone you love. My weird talisman after my dad died is this sweatshirt that i don’t wear because it has the overwhelming smell of his cologne but that’s also exactly why i keep it. Every time i open one of my drawers, it’s a comforting reminder.
Ugh Ashley this is beyond beautiful (& funny, I love your humor). Death really IS a cunt. Thank you for sharing parts of your grief with us so often; it doesn't go unappreciated. You've helped me sooo much with my own grieving journey and I'll forever be grateful <3333
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I loved this so much.
What a beautiful piece! I laughed out loud about the Victorian hair necklace. I hope to hear you are wearing it someday.
How apt that I just read a haunted house by woolf
(sincerely) beautiful post & also (sincerely) hilarious title.
I lost my Mom last year and I've kept everything - hair ties, a lock of her hair I took after she passed, a crumpled Halloween napkin, her makeup, her nightgown in a Ziploc because it smells like her. I also have an ashes ring. I hope she haunts me too, benevolently of course. I don't think I truly realized how hard grieving and mourning is. Sending lots of love. Thank you for you words.
Hoping it’s been done many times over but how beautiful would a zine compilation of this be: “Mourners get it. I know they do, because they’ve told me all the strange little things they cling to following the death of a loved one.”
A grief ritual I did as my mom was dying (and still return to) was watching videos of grief songs “someday we’ll be together” that one Bread song, etc and reading allllllll the comments of people expressing their grief. Thank you for writing this 💜
So excited for Bad Brain! Carl Jung had a theory about synchronicity pointing towards a deeper layer of reality. Dunno if that includes ghosts... But I did have a dream some time last year, you and Rob were in it and we were all inside a room. There was a door in the room and outside there was an angry grizzly bear. The bear was trying to get into the room. Rob said, "I'm going to go outside so it doesn't come in," and he left. I thought, "hmm that was very brave of him" and that was the end of the dream. The next day I saw a post on your Instagram that it was Rob's birthday. I thought, "hmm thats definitely a synchronicity." Much love ❤️
oh wow, this was really beautiful. i may or may not have tears in my eyes while reading this at work when i should be working.
Thank you! didn't mean to make you cry though ♡
Dying is one of the few things every single one of us will do. For those who come from cultures that don’t celebrate or even acknowledge the process of dying and living after the death of a loved one, the experience can be so isolating. Talking about it makes it so much easier to bear and other people’s discomfort is their’s to carry. I love that you made jewelry from your husband’s ashes. How beautiful to adorn yourself in y’all’s love everlasting.