book history. historical geographer. griefblogger.
***Upendo means love in Swahili The above picture was taken on December 26, 2020 when I was doing some winterbirding on Mattamuskeet Lake, Hyde County, North Carolina. Birding is something that I have recently come into as I navigated my grief journey. Birding makes me happy because my son loved birds very much. His favorites … Continue reading Upendo Rising: On Gratitude— #NewYearsDay
Hold space. Holding space means be with the griever in a nonjudgmental way. Be there but do not push, listen, and make statements that show your support. Avoid the wording “I understand” unless you have suffered the same loss. Try to say “I am so sorry you are going through this and I am here to help you with what you need.”
But beyond the many beautiful things I know of my son from his time on Earth I now know that as his mother the ways that I cope with Ricky's transition will mark my transformation in the After.
A bit of research excitement- I managed to get my hands on an extremely rare book that was published by the Norfolk, VA Historical Society in 1968.
The video of the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police broke my heart--I have lost a lot of faith. This is what life is in a world filled with social disorder and widespread oppression.
