That Quote? Yeah, I'd Like a Word With It.

So, this month's journal prompt is a real gem: "What's one 'inspirational quote' I encountered that made me want to scream?"

Honestly, trying to narrow it down to just one is like trying to pick a favorite flavor of existential dread – they all blend together after a while. But, if I had to choose, it’d be any of those smug little nuggets of wisdom that equate grief directly to love. You know the ones: "Grief is the price we pay for love," or some such nonsense.

Let's just get this straight: I'm not sad because I love my son. I'm sad because he's gone. Period. I'm sad because I'm a human, and let’s face it, we’re all delightfully selfish creatures. We want what we want, and I wanted more time with him. More hugs, more of those ridiculously deep talks that could veer into philosophical territory at 3 a.m. More movie nights with his head resting on my lap, more of those car rides where he’d turn the passenger seat into a personal dance floor.

I miss the tangible. The physical presence that’s just… not here anymore. I miss his voice, his temper (yes, even that), the way he filled a room. It's not the love that's causing this ache; it's the absence. It's the gaping hole where his "physical self" used to be.

"Grief is the price of love?" Please. I'm healing because of love, not grieving because of it. The memories, the feel of his hugs, the sound of his laughter – those are the life rafts in this stormy sea of grief. And let’s be real, it’s a category 5 hurricane most days.

The love I have for him, that’s not the source of my sadness. It’s the relief. It's the anchor that keeps me from drifting away completely. Because remembering him, all his infectious antics, his determination to grow, that's what keeps me going.

So, to all those inspirational quote peddlers out there: maybe, just maybe, you could step aside and let us grieve without the saccharine platitudes. Grief isn't a transaction. It's not a price tag. It's just… grief. And sometimes, you just miss someone with every fiber of your being.

I'll love him until my last breath. That's a given. But I'm not grieving because I loved him. I'm surviving because I still do. And that's a world of difference.

#boldstepsforward #griefjourney #journal #missmyson