January

Things that happen in January:
The weather is cold.
It is dark and gloomy all of the time.
The holidays are over.
The gym's are packed with people who are working on their New Year's resolutions.
The Golden Globes and Superbowl are aired.
It is my mother's 4 year anniversary of her passing.

Ever since 2006, January has become the most difficult month of the year for me. The entire month has a dark cloud over it. My mother passed away January 23rd. The date makes me sick to my stomach. I remember vividly every detail of her final days. The date has always had this power over me.
Last week, I was watching Oprah. Nate Berkus did a segment on grief with Paula Dean. In the segment, he talks about how he has let the dates go. Nate lost his partner in the Tsunami 5 years ago. He discussed how the "dates" of his birthday, holidays, and day that his partner passed had a hold over him. He decided to let the dates go and to remember when he chose to remember. I wish that I could let the date of January 23rd go and remember my mother when I choose to not when the calendar tells me to. It is a great piece of advice and I hope it helps some of you!