Divorce and Grief Recovery

08/31/2025

We don’t often honor, bereaved fathers. Love and blessings to them, especially today.

Today is International Bereaved Fathers Day.

I keep thinking about the dads who carry their grief differently. The ones who stay quiet. Who don’t always cry where anyone can see. Who fix the broken things around the house because they can’t fix what’s really broken.

I think of the dads who still say their child’s name under their breath when no one’s around. The dads who replay the last time they hugged their child. The last laugh. The last “love you.”

Some people don’t notice their pain because it doesn’t look like tears. It looks like silence. Or working late. Or holding it together so the rest of us can fall apart.

But I see it. I feel it. And I know so many of you do too.

Today belongs to those fathers who love their child as fiercely as ever… even when the world doesn’t see it.

08/27/2025

07/22/2025

07/11/2025

Wow! Worth the read

I Wasn’t Loved—I Was Useful
They liked me because I was easy.
Easy to talk to.
Easy to lean on.
Easy to forget.

I said yes when I wanted to say no.
Laughed when things weren’t funny.
Held space for people
who never once asked if I needed holding, too.

And now I’m angry.
Not just at them—
but at myself
for thinking that kindness would keep me safe.

1. I Became Who They Needed—Not Who I Was
In every room,
I scanned for cues.

What do they want?
Who do I need to be to stay loved?

I shape-shifted so well,
I forgot what my actual voice sounded like.

Because being authentic
felt like a risk I couldn’t afford.

2. I Confused Being Liked With Being Safe
If they like me, they won’t leave.
If I’m useful, I’ll matter.
If I’m low-maintenance, they’ll stay.

So I made myself easy to digest.
Softened every edge.
Apologized for my needs
before anyone had a chance to reject them.

But approval is a fragile currency.
And one day, I woke up bankrupt.

3. I Didn’t Burn Out—I Was Used Up
I wasn’t overreacting.
I was overextending.

And the weight of being “the good one”
crushed the parts of me
that longed to scream, cry, rage, and say NO.

I thought being nice would make people love me.
Instead, it made them forget I was human.

4. I’m Not Bitter—Just Finally Honest
I don’t want to be the safe choice anymore.
The reliable one.
The emotional sponge.

I want to be loved for my soul,
not my silence.

And if setting boundaries makes me hard to love—
then maybe they never loved me at all.

5. Final Word: I’m Done Performing
I’m not your emotional support human.
I’m not here to stay small so you feel big.
I’m not shrinking anymore
just to stay included.

If love requires disappearing,
I’d rather be alone.

Because I deserve to exist fully.
Loudly.
And unapologetically.

Credit: True Feeling

07/11/2025

With sadness, I let you know that Joanne Simpson passed away. Here hs the link to her daughter’s post on Facebook. She is loved and missed.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10227225050163809&id=1585342003

07/04/2025

If you could use a fresh start, Max's new book, Begin Again, is packed with encouragement.