Why aren't there more positive stories in the news? Why am I bombarded with news of shootings and calamities first thing in the morning? I suppose "drama" grabs more attention than "feel-good" stories, which is an unfortunate commentary on what people consider to be "news." So as I think about what I want to share in my blog in 2016, all I know for certain is that I want to share positive stories about people who do things that matter.
I also want to start this year in gratitude to people who have inspired me in sharing my journey. I would not be here writing if not for the work of one woman in particular, Kelley Lynn. See, Kelley Lynn has had to endure more than anyone should have to in such a short period of time. Her marriage to Don Shepherd was cut short when he died unexpectedly just a few years after they were married. At a time when newlywed couples are just starting out their life together, Kelley Lynn was trying to live in a new reality -- one without her best friend, her husband, Don. To deal with her loss, she did what came so naturally to her -- she wrote, and thus her blog, "RIP the Life I Knew" was born. What she didn't realize when she started frantically writing about this new life without her husband was that her words, wrought with such heartbreaking honesty, would touch the lives of so many who understood such loss, but were unaware that there was a voice that could understand let alone articulate their pain. In the darkness of grief, she detailed her experience in such a way that she grabbed the attention of readers like me so that we couldn't help but be touched by her sorrow as well. In reading the comments from readers of her blog, I saw they felt that for the first time, SOMEONE really understood what they were going through. Little did she know that with her words, she had created connection and a community of belonging -- something that we all need, but even more so after the loss of a spouse.
I was so moved by her stories that I wanted to learn more about her and found that aside from being a talented writer, she is also a university teacher, comedian, actor, and grief coach. Is there anything she can't do?
Now, please don't think the blog is all tears and despair because Kelley Lynn has such a gift that while, yes, one minute your eyes will well up in tears, in another minute, she will have you laughing out loud.
Yes, you read that right.
While these are stories of Kelley Lynn's loss and grief, they are so beautifully written that they have me crying one minute and laughing the next. It's unbelievable, the rush of emotions she puts me through as she tells her stories. I can go on and on, but the best way to understand is by reading her work. One of my favorite posts was, "I Have Lost My Mind -- and My Pants."
This is just one of many posts that grab me at the heart. I've followed Kelley Lynn ever since I started reading her blog, and I, like so many others, have been privileged to be with her through her joys and struggles. Because of her, I decided to start writing my own story, and along the way, I found that I really do enjoy writing. It's been a wonderful, creative, outlet for me- one that I only took seriously after reading Kelley Lynn's blog.
So I'd like to use today's post as:
1) A way to spread positivity. Despite all the gloom and doom reported in the news, there are people like Kelley Lynn doing really great things out there.
2) A big THANK YOU to Kelley Lynn, for inspiring me to share and write.
3) A way to bring awareness to Kelley Lynn's work. The woman does it all! And she is HYSTERICAL to boot. SNL, will you please call her already??
4) A reminder to Kelley Lynn, especially on the toughest of days, that what she does MATTERS to so many people.
If you're reading this, I hope you take a moment to read the stories on Kelley Lynn's blog,
She also has quite the following on her Facebook page, where she shares other struggles that we can all probably relate to, from lifestyle changes to getting health insurance. In addition to her writing, what I love about her, too, is that throughout everything, she always takes the time to appreciate the simple and ordinary moments. After all she has been through, Kelley Lynn makes it a point to show that she still finds joy in simple acts, like watching her niece and nephew open Christmas gifts.
I am so grateful to see how Kelley Lynn has picked up the pieces since the day of her husband's death to the present, where she is now using her story to help people as they try to make their way back from unimaginable loss. The story of her struggle is real, raw, and authentic, and it comes as no surprise that her work has helped and continues to help so many people.