Comments : 22

Happy New Year friends, I hope this finds everyone doing well on this first day of 2023! If you were out celebrating or away for NYE, hope you had a super time ushering in the new year.  First,  we were going to get away (husband was trying to surprise me with a spontaneous trip but then found out my passport expired as had my sons)  but besides that, I wasn’t really feeling it, we were also invited to a NYE dinner party and that was definitely out for me. I just wanted to be home and have a quiet chill night at home to reflect on 2022, and try to channel some positive energy to start the new year with.   Me personally, I am so happy the holidays are now officially over.  I got two big “firsts” behind me. One step in front of the other as I continue to navigate a new life without my mother in it.

I am foregoing my usual Seven on Sunday to share with you something I shared on Instagram, my own pearls of wisdom and reflections as we end this year of 2022 I don’t look at these as resolutions, just thoughts and observations, things  I have learned especially in this last year. Thought they were worth sharing (and not a word about a diet, haha)

I have said it many times but will say it again, I am once again so grateful to my incredible readers and customers, you make what I do such fun and make it so inspiring. I am genuinely motivated when I get up every morning to do what I do, create beautiful things, share interesting ideas and hopefully inspire you in the process. Even at my lowest, the creative process is like a shining light to carry me through. I love what I do and am so grateful to have created my company as it has been wonderfully fulfilling but surprisingly cathartic to me (especially in this grieving stage). For the new year, I wish each of you happiness, good health, lots of joy and many adventures. If we have all those, I think we are on our way to a wonderful year so cheers to that. Onward to my post today-

 

_________________________________________

Did anything resonate? I know this is a departure from my usual posts filled with pretty pictures but these were important for me to share. I would love to hear what matters to you,, what you have learned, your takeaways from 2022. I love having an open conversation as we can all learn from one another.

I will practice what I preach above and do. my best to do better every day. If you take away one thing only, please let it be the importance of staying connected to your parents. I have had so many people contact me about the various posts I have done on grieving my mom,  saying it has reopened many tucked away emotions and some of those people still felt like their loved one left them with unspoken words or conflicts that had not been resolved.

I know that must be incredibly painful to have to live with that. I have inner peace because my mom and I were very very close, spoke every day and I know she left this earth knowing how much she was loved and treasured but recognize not all are so forutnate. However, as one friend how has a rocky relationship with her mom told me, that dynamic has reshaped how she approaches other relationship with people still here. So there is a silver lining even for those who had/have tumultuous relationships.It is about evolving and learning as much as it is about being mindful about applying that level of effort to relationships that matter (does not have to be parents, can be family or friends).

Those short little phone calls I made every day to my mom, in a way have saved me from even more pain. It is natural to look back and wonder what you could have, or should have done. I don’t have that guilt thankfully, and was so lucky to be by her side those last 3 weeks. I recognize some relationships are more complicated, but the same principle can be applied to other relationships, extended family, friends, etc……Bottom line, we all need to live in the present knowing there are no assurances of tomorrow.

Anyway friends, thanks again for being there for me. I feel so fortunate to have such a wonderful community of readers, customers and friends. Wishing you all a truly beautiful 2023! Until next time…..

 LAST DAY FOR OUR 25% OFF SITE WIDE NEW YEAR’S EVE SALE!

CLICK HERE (ALL CATEGORIES AND SUBCATEGORIES ARE ON THE LEFT, CHECK OUT OUR NEW ARRIVALS TOO)

Love you Mom

Leave a Reply to Marie in AZ Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

May 2023 bring you and your family joy, love and peace. We need to be thankful for what we have–the good and the bad. Beautiful words we all need to read.

In your time of grief you write such beautiful words that truly inspire me to think differently about the time we do have with our family and friends. Thank you Tina..❤️ and thank you for allowing us to accompany you on your healing journey. It’s truly an honor.

In your time of grief you write such beautiful words that truly inspire me to think differently about the time we do have with our family and friends. Thank you Tina..❤️ and thank you for allowing us to accompany you on your healing journey. It’s truly an honor.

Happy new year to you!

This was one of the best things I’ve read in a really long time and I’m actually forwarding it to my three daughters. I think we all get so caught up in the hustle of our life that sometimes we let important things like reaching out to those we care about fall to the wayside. I am guilty of it and today I’m going to pick up the phone because of your post and call my brother and sister!

I agree 100% about the relationship with your parents and how important it is to nurture it and let them know that you care especially as they get older.

And yes could not agree more about social media I make a practice of every week not going on for two days ironically sometimes those two days are the best days of my week🤣

I hope you have a wonderful new year and will soon be feeling peace and happiness Tina.

Wonderful post, and wish everyone all the best in 2023.
One additional thought: as our parents’ generation ages, make it a point to ask your parents, your favorite aunt or uncle what their fondest memories are, either of your parent (& grandparents) or what life was like when they were growing up. Write these memories down. Too often, by the time we think to ask, they have too often passed. One silver lining to an aunt’s Alz, is that while her short term memory is not good, her memories of the time she and my father shared growing up were still very sharp. I found out things about my Dad I never would have known otherwise during her visits while he was in the hospital during the last year of his life. It was wonderful to be able to sit in the background and hear them reminisce.
Make a point of contacting your cousins, etc and share family photos, especially those that are a ‘one of’. It is too easy for that family history to get lost or forgotten.
Phone calls, cards with a note or letters matter, especially to our aging family members. It doesn’t matter if you are just filling them in on what you and your family are up to, they are appreciated more than we know.
Small kindnesses matter, even if it’s allowing that elderly person or harried mother with antsy small children ahead of you in the grocery check-out line.

Both of my parents have been gone several years but there is t a day that goes by without thinking of them. Everything you wrote about today rings so true. I plan to keep a gratitude journal this year, keep healthy, be there for my family, and enjoy life. Wishing you a happy new year, may 2023 be a good year for us all.

Tina, your thoughts are golden, and so appreciated. They mirror mine exactly, and they are expressed so well. I shall save them and look at them periodically, throughout the year, as well as forward them on. I miss my mom, dad, and younger brother who all died recently, but I promise myself to keep active as it helps while grieving. I wish you many blessings in 2023. May it be great for us all!

Hi Tina,
I love this post. The last few year’s have been the hardest of my life. I too lost my Mother, it’s been five year’s but it seem’s like yesterday. Something I’ve yet to learn to deal with. We lost our family ranch in the Napa fire’s in 2017, and we’re still reeling from the after math. Mother died one month after the fire. She was evacuated from that fire. l’m going to take to heart the word’s you wrote, and try my hardest to “move forward” emotionally. I do have lot’s to be grateful for as I am blessed with many good thing’s. I do feel your pain, and I’m so sorry for you. Thank you for these encouraging word’s.

Wonderful! It resonates with me! Both of my parents have passed but live on in my memories! I still can not believe they are gone!
We are so looking forward to 2023 as our first grandchild is coming very soon! 2022 holds lots of positive memories as it was the year we saw so many friends and extended family again after not seeing then in so long because of Covid. Even yesterday ,the last day of the year, we meet friends in the city for lunch! We had not seen them in way to long! They live in Texas so stopped in Manhattan on the way back!
I have to say the holidays do not end until Epiphany for us! I do wish we were like many European countries where it is a very important day!
Remember when you have loved you grieve!
Kathleen

Happy New Year to you and yours!
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and heartfelt truths in life, yes, the raw
Truths we’re living in these days and times. Grief & sorrows to bear and looking for the light of life in God’s great love for each of us. 🙏 Peace and love be unto you.

Dear Tina, Thank you for your heartfelt words of care and wisdom. I completely agree about the texting thing, It takes us away from the intimacy of human voice and sends a message of “I’m too busy for you.” My own mother turns 87 this month, she still has her Heath and mind. I do love the technology of FaceTime videos, too! Enjoy your father… I miss mine so much!

Tina, this was such a beautiful post! We can each benefit from your wonderful words! I pray that you will be blessed with a wonderful 2023! May you feel God’s arms of comfort wrapped around you. So happy that your have your dear Dad who loves you so much! Treasure your family times together and make many new memories. The wonderful memories you have of your dear Mom will just become more precious as the days go by. Your Mom was a beautiful lady. Thanks for sharing all the beautiful pictures of her with us.

Life is short. Live life with a kind and grateful heart. Blessings for the New Year!

There is no love like that of a mother’s love! I too lost my best friend, my mother a few years ago. It took me quite a long time to get through that. I never felt closer to anyone like I did with her. As time went on I realized she lives on within me. Her life, her words, thoughts, and values live on with me. I pass them to my daughter now who just became a mother. To see her joy is to relive my own. I am trying to be the best mom I can with all the knowledge my mom left behind. With age does come wisdom. Enjoy the journey.

Great post. I often think that if more people would extend small kindnesses in their respective corners of the world, it would start of revolution of the best kind. May 2023 be a good year for you and your family.

Thank you Tina for such inspiring post.
Definitely, there is so much meaning in them.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful 2023!
Lucy

What an uplifting and well written post about the possibilities in 2023. You ate still making your Mom proud! Thank you!

I have been reading your blog for a while now but this is the first time leaving a comment. I am so sorry for the loss of your beautiful mom. I had lost both of my parents when I was 21 (Dad) and 30 (Mom) and I know the importance of calling your parents. I was still living at home when my Dad passed away but married when my Mom passed. I called my mom every day from work once she was a widow. After I got married I still called her from work every day and she called me every night. So we spoke twice a day every day. I have two adult daughters. One calls usually twice a day and the other one calls maybe every 10 days. I have asked her to call more but she just won’t. Of course, she knows how young I was when I lost my parents but nothing I say will change her mind. I don’t want her to have regrets. Like you, I had a beautiful relationship with my mom and I miss her after all these years – 37 years now, and 46 years for my Dad.

This was a great post Tina.

Join the World of the Enchanted Home!

Subscribe

Instagram

Designed and Developed by BNV Digital Marketing