The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy. But for a lot of us they also carry something heavier underneath. A missing. A quiet ache that does not go away just because the decorations are up and the music is playing.

In this episode Marilyn gets deeply personal about losing her mom on Christmas Eve morning and what the holidays have looked like in the years since. She talks honestly about why grief feels louder during the holidays, why it can rush back years later even when we thought we had found some peace, and why missing someone is not a sign that we have not healed. It is a sign that we loved deeply.

This episode is not about getting through the holidays. It is about giving ourselves permission to grieve and celebrate at the same time. Because both are allowed. And we do not have to choose.

In this episode:

• Why the holidays amplify grief in a way that almost nothing else does
• What the first holiday without someone we loved actually feels like
• Why grief can rush back years later and why that does not mean something is wrong with us
• Why grief and joy are not mutually exclusive and how to hold both at the same time
• How to use the bubble method when grief shows up unexpectedly in the middle of a celebration
• Six practical and specific ways to carry grief through the holidays with a little more grace

This week’s takeaway:

Missing someone during the holidays is not a sign that we have not healed. It is a sign that we loved them. Give yourself permission to grieve and celebrate at the same time. Feel it. Name it. Say their name. And know that the missing is just love with nowhere to go right now.

If you are struggling:

Grief can be heavy and you do not have to carry it alone. Please reach out to someone you trust. And if you are in crisis or feeling unsafe please reach out for help right away.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 anytime day or night. Free confidential support is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

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