The Hardest Thing I’ve Done To Heal Grief — The Retreat Anniversary
Today is August 22, 2024. I miss my husband deeply, and I know I’m not alone in this.
A year and four months ago, my husband of 32 years passed away.
In the time since, navigating through the minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months has been overwhelming.
In the time since, navigating through the minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months has been overwhelming. The grief has felt all-consuming—hopelessness, sadness, frustration, and anger have all been part of my journey. As our anniversary approached, I wasn’t sure which version of myself would surface.
I needed a place where I could be completely free to be whichever version of me emerged.
I didn’t want to worry my children or burden my friends and family, so I decided to retreat for the weekend of our anniversary.
On that day, at 3 p.m., the exact time of our wedding, I went to the beach.
I drew a heart in the sand, placed the corset from the funeral and some flowers from the garden into the ocean, and symbolically said goodbye to my husband, who had been a part of my life for all my adult years. Capturing the moment on tape was challenging and emotional, but it was the hardest and bravest thing I’ve ever done.
As I watched the flowers drift away, I realized that this was a necessary step in letting go and moving forward.
Leaving the retreat, despite the difficulty, felt freeing. In those quiet, solitary moments, I experienced a glimmer of hope—hope for what I could become if I allowed the loss to be the gift it was meant to be.
The solitude, the beauty of the waves crashing at night, and the tranquility inspired me to create a similar experience for other women.
I wasn’t sure if many would have the courage to face their emotions so soon after their loss, but I knew I could help create a supportive environment with the help of professionals I know.
From this, I developed a desire to host a retreat annually.
No matter where I am in the world, I will host a retreat each September 22nd for those who have experienced grief and loss. If you are on a journey of grief and are ready to embrace your loss, accept it, and move forward with hope, I invite you to join us from September 20th to 22nd in Hope Town, Abaco, Bahamas, at the beautiful Island Retreat resort.
We have a thoughtful and supportive experience planned.
We aim to create a space for connection, storytelling, and gaining insights and strategies for moving forward through grief. Although it might feel like an unopened gift, we hope you’ll find, as I did, that embracing it reveals something truly beautiful.
If you want help to deal with, learn, and heal from grief so you can live more authentically and courageously, then contact me for help.