Living is a whole new adventure when you suddenly find yourself alone, widowed and the mother of four young boys a lot like their Dad.

Control in Life
Janae Thompson Janae Thompson

Control in Life

I really connect deeply with living life today because that’s all there is. My lesson is that there are elements of life of which you don’t actually have any control. You can make plans. You can have goals and dreams.

Read More
Connecting During Grief
Janae Janae Thompson Janae Janae Thompson

Connecting During Grief

Thanks for being part of this. I intend to bring more content, thoughts and inspiration. My objective is to show what I have learned and gone through without my husband because mine is not a common experience.

Read More
Since My Husband Died
Janae Janae Thompson Janae Janae Thompson

Since My Husband Died

Being alone has shown me how to find who I am without my husband. The journey of losing the person that you love most never ends. It never stops hurting. It often feels like hope is a thing of the past.

Read More
Grief Is A Powerful Detector
Janae Janae Thompson Janae Janae Thompson

Grief Is A Powerful Detector

Grief is a powerful detector of what you value. When tragedy occurs, the aftermath of grief causes everything else you thought was once important to fall away, sometimes instantaneously.

Read More
Sundays Are So Different
Janae Thompson Janae Thompson

Sundays Are So Different

I found a video of me asking Grant where he was while we were at the airport. I wanted him to tell the camera audience. How could I have known the meaning of the question “Honey, where are you?” would become so vastly different.

Read More
Grant Was My Safe Place
Janae Janae Thompson Janae Janae Thompson

Grant Was My Safe Place

He was my safe place. Our world lived and grew within itself. It created a story that was never going to end, until it did. My rock, my safety left the earth world, our family world and our TKOR world all in one instance.

Read More
Sorry Doesn’t Help-Grief Part IV
Janae Janae Thompson Janae Janae Thompson

Sorry Doesn’t Help-Grief Part IV

It's almost always the first thing people say when I tell them I lost my husband. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” “Thank you" I say and try to move on because I don’t want to wallow in the sorry.

Read More
Keep Coming Back-Grief Part II
Janae Janae Thompson Janae Janae Thompson

Keep Coming Back-Grief Part II

The people who kept coming back made all the difference. The ones who didn’t give up on me. When you keep coming around; even though the grieving person isn’t the most fun company or doesn’t seem to appreciate your efforts or is just plain negative to be around; don’t let it get you down.

Read More
How to Help a Person in Grief Part l
Janae Janae Thompson Janae Janae Thompson

How to Help a Person in Grief Part l

A person in grief usually doesn’t know what they need or want. When someone asked, what can I do? I usually didn’t know. I can’t tell you how many times someone said, ‘I’ve been thinking about you.

Read More
How to Help a Person in Grief
Janae Janae Thompson Janae Janae Thompson

How to Help a Person in Grief

It is different for everyone. No matter what the situation; when grief is present, the human emotion of suffering loss, it is deep and unexplainable. It is a feeling that can only be shared by those who have lost. Everyone experiences grief on some level and as life goes, it gets deeper and deeper.

Read More
The First Time I Left Them
Janae, Boys Janae Thompson Janae, Boys Janae Thompson

The First Time I Left Them

I was so afraid to leave them for the first time, after their dad died. I had to take a picture before I left. It was just in case it was the last time I saw them. I wanted to make sure to have that last moment with me captured. We didn’t have that when dad died.

Read More
Incomplete Grief
Janae Janae Thompson Janae Janae Thompson

Incomplete Grief

It’s those things you didn't get to say before you didn't have the chance anymore. Of course you didn’t know you wouldn’t have the chance. The human brain seems to think that things won’t change. Although the evidence that is constant is, that change is the only thing constant.

Read More
Lens Of Grief
Janae Janae Thompson Janae Janae Thompson

Lens Of Grief

I realized another thing recently.  A part of that dichotomy I described before of seeing beauty and feeling pain together and they are one and the same in me, existing together with no separation. 

Read More
Unconditional Love
Janae Janae Thompson Janae Janae Thompson

Unconditional Love

This little sign, it was a Valentine gift from one of my best friends.  It’s April.  We have that kind of relationship.  I’ll take a Valentine's gift any day of the year. I don’t expect anything on Valentines from her nor her from me, but we can give gifts any time and it’s beautiful to receive.

Read More
Marbles and Grief
Janae Janae Thompson Janae Janae Thompson

Marbles and Grief

I felt the grief take over me.  It was the first time or it felt like it.  It feels like the first time every time.  Maybe because it’s new, maybe because it’s different every time. A friend shared with me a beautiful story of small objects that now have symbolic meaning to him because of certain experiences he’s had. He placed these objects together and took a picture to have it all in one place to remember.

Read More