Make them proud

Hey there,

Today, let's talk about one of life’s hard truths…

I’m not able to pinpoint this exact moment but at some point, you’ll make the realization that time doesn’t heal all wounds.

Some things in life just have too much of an impact on your heart and soul to ever truly heal.

Sure, things get easier.

The pain lessens, but it never truly disappears.

We learn to cope, to push forward despite the ache in our hearts.

But what if we stopped running from the pain?

What if we sat with it, acknowledged it, and let it in?

Because that pain?

It's proof of something beautiful that once existed in our lives.

It's the evidence of love.
Of bonds that mattered more than anything.

And it’s a blessing that we ever had the opportunity to share that with another human being.

Personally, I look back with an intense feeling of gratitude for the time spent with those I’ve lost in my life.

But while reminiscing, it inevitably dawns on you…

You’ll never again have a street hockey fight or drift your cars around town like degenerates with your childhood best friends.

You’ll never again ask your Amma for a piece of that grape Hubba Bubba you know she has stashed in the kitchen cupboard.

You’ll never again catch up with your cousin and share long-overdue laughter at family gatherings.

You’ll never again hear your grandpa laughing outrageously as he calls you a little bugger.

And you’ll never be able to hug your father again and tell him you love him.

These memories hurt because they mattered more than anything.

They’re what shaped you and molded you into who you are today.

So yes, feel the pain.

But the trick is to not sit too long analyzing these wounds.

Though it is healthy to realize how the loss of a loved one has seemingly shattered parts of your life…

It’s just as important to recognize just how big of a positive impact they had on you.

Remember the smiles, the laughter, the lessons, the friendships, and the love shared with each and every one of them.

And use everything that you learned to shape a life that you think they would be proud of you for.

Because in the end, that's the best way to honor their memory.

To show that their impact lives on through you and your actions.

So next time the pain hits:

1. Feel it

2. Acknowledge it

3. Be grateful for it

4. Then use it to fuel your growth

And remember, you're not alone in this.

We're all carrying wounds that won't fully heal…

They are the scars that tell our stories.

But together, we can make the ones we’ve lost proud.

And find beauty in the broken pieces.

Until next time,

Your friend in this journey,

Michael "Embracing the Scars" Mitchell