an 18 month journey

This past week I started my volunteer work with Our House Grief Support Group Center. After going through their training process I was selected to be one of their volunteer group co-leads. And so last week I met my group of young widow and widowers -- people in their 20s/30s/40s who's partner or spouse died. And WOW, it was incredible.

I already feel such affinity for my group -- and feel so grateful to be able to go on this journey with them. Life is looking so shitty for them right now and I'm certainly familiar with that view. And so it feels so wonderful to be able to hold hope and inspiration inside of my heart for each of the people in my group. And it's wild to think that for the next 18 months I will see them move through so many emotions and life experiences, starting with this difficult time of year filled with holidays. 18 months -- that's a long time. Not too long at all for them to be meeting as a group, I actually think that's wonderful that they will have each other as support through a full year and beyond -- but to even consider how my life could change over the course of the next 18 months. That's April 2014 -- I just wonder where I'll be then and if I'll have found my own 'love of my life.' Time will tell.

So here's to the start of what proves to be an intense, difficult yet incredibly hopeful and rewarding 18 months. I feel so alive even thinking about it and knowing that I've gotten myself to this point after a long, hard couple of years. Mom would be so darn proud.