“Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society.” Since the death of my son T.J. Mother’s Day has taken on a completely different meaning for me. In the first few years after his death, this day brought a searing pain to my inner self that went beyond description. There could be no “celebration” when one of my precious children was no longer on this earth. 7 years after his death, like so many things in my life, my thoughts on this day have transformed. I have learned that so much is a matter of perspective—or a shift in perspective. For me today, Mother’s Day is no longer met with searing pain,
Hindsight is 20/20. That’s a phrase I’ve been hearing all my life, but never did I realize how true it was until I lost my T.J. to suicide. In the years since, I’ve spent so much time going over every detail of his life looking for clues, trying to figure out what I missed. What I realize is first and foremost trust your intuition. I believe that little voice that tells you something may be wrong is usually right. From the time T.J. was a little boy he was always more. His feelings were more sensitive, his tantrums were bigger, his hugs were tighter, his smiles brighter and his tears more intense. He loved more and most. I spend so much time speaking to parents and teachers these days about
