Grieving on my Birthday

Me, in my house, spending time with my uncle on his birthday, April 6th. A simple ceremony.

Please note that this is an excerpt from my full Whitney French Writes newsletter. You can subscribe to my monthly newsletter HERE to receive these messages directly in your inbox.

I'm writing this on my birthday eve. I love being an Aries, I love my fiery season. I usually love spending my birthdays in solitude going on a long nature hike at some national/local park and contemplating what was shifted for me in the year.

Obviously, my birthday looks and feels very different than I imagined it. It sounds silly to be "grieving" this special birthday ritual (the park I usually visit is closed) but I had a really profound conversation with a close friend of mine, who mentioned that right now there are so many intensified emotions, yet very little space for grief.

I spent some time with my uncle last week. He passed away in 2016 and he was an Aries too. I think we on a global scale are grieving a lot of things: people, rituals, jobs (I was laid off from my editorial position at Dundurn), physical touch, simple pleasures, financial security, and personal comforts.

It's ok to be grieving. It's ok to not be ok. We shouldn't feel guilty about this truth. The realization that keeps coming back to me is this concept of waves. Waves of productivity, waves of deep sadness. Waves of staring at my toes, waves of FOMO. I put off writing this newsletter because 'it has already all been said', but just in case someone hasn't told you...

It's ok to grieve right now. 

If the people in your networks are expecting positivity from you all the time, or perhaps you are holding space for them and forgetting to make room for yourself — know that you can share your grief with me.

Actually! Please share things you miss, small losses, griefs big or small, significant or insignificant via email here, if that helps you release it. This is not to dwell on the negative; grieving is actually deeply healing and important for us as humans to understand ourselves. I'll be listening to every email. I'll reply to every response. I can hold gratitude and grief in the same heart. 

Sending big love, health, strength and understanding to every single one of you who've read all the way through. Frenchie loves you, always.

Until next time,