Probably not the best time for me to be watching *The Pitt*. There’s a scene with a brother and sister in the ER with their dad, and a line about how they become the witnesses to each other’s lives — the ones who hold the shared memories.

That one hit hard.

One of the hardest things right now is realizing I don’t have that anymore. Even though my brother and I hadn’t spoken in years, he was still my brother. He was already gone when Dad died, so I stood there without that shared witness to our life.

Yeah… this one’s getting put on hold for now. Too much, too soon.

I'd love to hear some suggestions for TV shows or movies that I could watch instead. I have most of the major streaming services.

#GriefJourney #LifeAfterLoss #GriefSupport #HealingInProgress #OneDayAtATime

Some of you may remember Margey the Meerkat (on the left). She used to come along with me on photo shoots. When I’m ready to get back out there with my camera, she’ll have some company — Top Dog, as Dad called him.

Top Dog was Dad’s — the little stuffy he made sure to bring with him when he moved to Virginia to live with us. I’m pretty sure he had originally given it to Mom during one of her hospital stays back in the 90s.

It just feels right that the two of them will come along with me on future photo adventures.

#PhotographyLife #PhotoCompanion #GriefJourney #LifeAfterLoss #MemoryKeeping #HealingThroughArt #CreativeJourney

The losses keep coming, each one testing my strength. Today my uncle passed away — just over a month after losing my dad, his brother. It feels heavy, but I will keep going.

But I’m still here. Still breathing. Still choosing to look for small things to hold onto.

1. Dad and my uncle are no longer separated by illness or time.
2. I am stronger than I feel in the middle of the night.
3. I am not walking through this completely alone.
Bonus: This sunrise on the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the images in my “filmstrip in my head” — the kind I think about when I wake in the night. It reminds me that light returns, and with it comes quiet gratitude and hope for the day ahead.

#3GoodThings #Grief #LifeAfterLoss #OneDayAtATime #FindingLight #ThreeGoodThings #virginia #blueridgemountains

A month ago today, Dad died.

Somehow that feels both recent and far away, and I’m trying not to let the passing days make him feel further from me.

This photo was taken in 2022, just south of Grayling, Michigan. I was driving him to Virginia so he could live with us. The road stretched out ahead of us, and we had no idea what the next years would hold. But we were happy to be on the journey together.

A few days before that trip, he left me a voicemail telling me he loved me and was happy I was coming for him. I still have that message. It’s my most precious treasure.

Lately, when memories hit, my chest tightens and I sigh to let the pressure out. Sometimes I cry anyway. And that’s good.

I’m especially grateful for the people who have understood where I’m at without me having to explain it, and who have quietly offered their support.

One month. Still figuring out how to carry this.

#Grief #OneMonthLater #RememberingDad #LifeAfterLoss

Four Years Later: Connor, Silence, and the Things Addiction Leaves Behind

https://jaimedavid.blog/2026/02/21/12/47/41/analysis/jaimedavid327/9957/four-years-later-connor-silence-and-the-things-addiction-leaves-behind/

1. Today was one of the hardest tasks. We brought Dad’s ashes home.

2. I’m grateful I didn’t do it alone.

3. He’ll be laid to rest beside Mom later in spring or summer — his final wish.

#Grief #Bereavement #Remembering #LifeAfterLoss #today

A Widow’s Cry is a deeply moving story that captures the pain of loss and the strength it takes to keep going. Through raw emotion and honest reflection, it explores grief, love, and the slow journey toward healing. This powerful read offers comfort and understanding to anyone who has faced heartbreak or profound change.
https://www.blurb.com/b/10056711-a-widows-cry

#GriefAndHealing #LifeAfterLoss #EmotionalJourney

This cross was my mom’s, and after she died, Dad wore it every single day for twenty-five years. When he was moved to palliative care, and it wasn’t on him, I was terrified it had been lost.

Not because it was valuable, but because it felt like a piece of both of them. Yesterday I found it in the bag of clothes we’d brought to the hospital when we still hoped he’d recover. The relief that washed over me was overwhelming.

The first good thing is that it’s safe.

The second is that it still feels like a link to both my parents.

The third is the reminder that love leaves traces we can hold onto, even when the people are gone.

Bonus good thing: taking this photo helped me slow down and breathe for a moment — something I really needed.

#3GoodThings #ThreeGoodThings #SmallMoments #GriefJourney
#MemoryKeeping #LifeAfterLoss

MINIMALISM: From Consumer Culture to Conscious Living

I didn’t choose minimalism—life stripped me down to the essentials.

This piece traces the real journey. Every step links to a story I lived. No fluff, just truth.

👉 Read full story:

https://medium.com/@dianabasieseme_60028/minimalism-cfe6d2c8f791?sk=31d49de63eb9cad24dd81a38ae746895

#Minimalism #SimpleLiving #IntentionalLiving #LifeAfterLoss #DigitalMinimalism #WritingCommunity