So It Begins...

Hello, my name is Ann, and welcome to The Wayish where I’ll mainly write about grief and navigating life as a widow.

Honestly, I had this lovely, warm-fuzzy intro post drafted a few weeks back but I couldn’t quite get myself to post it and officially launch this blog that I have been sitting on for a long while. After all, this is nine years in the making.

Despite the courage I have amassed; the conviction to give my grief a platform; and an abundance of “trust in my process and self”, I found myself in a perpetual state of doubt, fear, and an unhealthy dose of the what-ifs.

I sat with these feelings long enough and as best as I knew how.

Thankfully, my courage, conviction, and self-assurance overruled my ever-present censor to keep me safe.

So, without further ado, in the heart of Bangkok while sipping a Cosmopolitan with utmost clarity, here is the official launch of The Wayish.

In the meantime, I’m keeping this brief to jump right into things.

Before I do, I’d like to take this moment to recognize my friends, family, and therapist.

These people are special. They have shown up for me during my hardest, darkest days; carried me when I couldn’t hold myself up; and lovingly walked behind me as I navigated grief and life after independently. I always said that I was rich not because of the tangibles, but because of the people I have in my life.

The nourishment was and still is very real. Thank you for feeding me; giving me a safe place to let my guard down and simply rest; the best wines and cocktails (you know who you are); virtual happy hours; guidance and encouragement through it all; quality time; the belly laughs when I thought I would never laugh again; belief in me when I couldn’t believe in myself; and most importantly, love, so, much, love.

And, an extra special recognition to my mom and dad. Need I say more?

It took a village, it really did.

Actualizing something I have been talking about for many, many years feels, well, surreal.

This is for you; for me; and anyone who has lost someone.

I promise, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

Ann xoxo