My hubby and I

It was nice to connect with you, Kelsey. When you told me your spouse had passed away in 2024, I offered my condolences, and then ventured to ask how it happened. You told me in that matter-of-fact way that it had been a sudden illness and complications. I felt an ache of sadness, and then you thanked me for asking. I made a comment about how grief is a helluva club, and in that moment, I felt connected to you. I am so grateful for the losses I have known, because they give me moments like this, moments of beautiful and profound connection, where a stranger will share something big and deep and let you know something about themselves that's only born of agony. It feels right to me to share a piece of my grief with you, in turn. Last Christmas, my dear cousin Ren suddenly died falling from a 3rd floor balcony. We don't know if he meant to do it or not; he had a lot of substance abuse issues and was very drunk. Ren was a trans 19 year old struggling to find his footing in what felt to him like a hostile, pointless world. My heart broke when his brother called and told me, and I find myself getting angry at him still, wishing he were here to commiserate about memes; I wish I could've shown him this golden ticket system. I think he would've liked it. I am so grateful for the moment we shared, and I hope your pancake reminds you of this moment often. I wish you healing, grace, and joy, and I hope to see you again.