I am an assistant principal in a middle school (grades 6-8). When I have to search a student's cell phone, I often get sick to my stomach at what I find. It gets worse and worse every year.
Please know that we are not jealous of your joy. But that seeing others happy can be a devastating reminder. Of the pronounced void that now exists. Please love us. Through our pain.
"My dad wouldn’t tell me anything over the phone or by text and insisted he would meet me at home... There’s no way this was happening to me and my family. There is no way this could be real. Well, in fact it was real."
"This was the first holiday without Beth. It was the 'first' in my 'year of firsts,' and I didn’t realize how gut-wrenching every first holiday, anniversary, and birthday was going to be without her."
"That one last high led me to a room, brain in a fog, staring at caskets trying to decide which one my little girl should be buried in. That one last high led to writing an obituary, planning a funeral and a house full of flowers from grieving friends and family."
"HOW did I not see him? The desperation to go back in time suffocates my every moment. Levi was gone for such a short amount of time that we didn't even know he was missing. I had split a brownie with him, and part of it was still in my mouth when I jumped..."
