grief + finding inspiration

i n s p i r a t i o n

Sometimes it’s the saddest moments in life that become a wellspring of inspiration. Just take Adele for example, whose heartbreak led her to write one of the most iconic albums of all time, cementing her as a legend in the music business. Others you may recognize are Amy Winehouse, Miranda Lambert, Gwen Stefani...this list goes on and on. Now, I’m not saying that this blog will be that for me or that I’m embarking on a journey to write an award-winning album. Not at all. All I know is that through the grieving process of losing my father-in-law, I found an emotional outlet in writing. An outlet that seemed to help others either get a better sense of him or even begin to heal themselves. It became more than a self-serving hobby to me.

Writing has always been a preferred form of communication for me because when things get sappy, the waterworks start and I become a bumbling mess! I had tried to start a blog a few years ago and I just never really understood the technology portion of it. I’m seriously challenged when it comes to this stuff so hang it there peeps. I’m learning! I also just didn’t have a direction, a voice or the time to dedicate to crafting quality posts. I did not want to be just another girl with a half-assed blog. All that aside, I finally sat down with the ole google box and typed in: “how to start a blog”. I eventually came across a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald that read, “you don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say.” That hit me in such a profound way that I took it as a sign to go ahead and give this a shot. So, here we are kiddos; the resurrection and reformation of my blog life. I hope his works out for us!

g r i e f

Grief takes many forms and goes through many stages. The most important thing I’ve learned through this is to have patience and grace with yourself (and others). For me, this loss was great, but for my husband it has been life-changing. There is a massive responsibility to the partner of someone who’s suffered a loss like this and to me, it’s an honor. I’m grateful to be the one who holds him up during this time. There isn’t much you can say in situations like this, all you can do is be there. Give them a hug. Let them know they are not alone. Eventually, it hurts a little less and you’re able to find peace, comfort and a new normal. Everyone finds this at their own pace, so that’s where that patience and grace come in. Many times hardships are what brings people together, forming a stronger bond and a sense of unity. I definitely feel that in our family, not just with my husband but with all of my in-laws. I’m thankful for that and I’m forever thankful to have been a part of Walter’s life for the past seven years.

IN LOVING MEMORY

I had the honor and privilege of creating Walter’s obituary so if you’d like to have a read and get a glimpse into who this wonderful man was, just keep scrolling....

Our dear Walter Zeligman, son of the late Harold and Mary Zeligman, was born on August 5, 1926 in Stoke Newington, London, England.

Walter was a proud veteran, serving in the British Royal Air Force’s communication division. He was a vibrant young man when he joined the service, and spent much of his time stationed in Deli, India.

On March 27th, 1976, Walter joined Jacqueline Thatcher in holy matrimony. Walter deeply loved Jackie from the moment they met until his soul left this Earth. Together they built a beautiful life and raised their three wonderful children together - Marie, Dean, and Daniel.

The Zeligman family relocated to The United States in 1980, residing in Lancaster, CA before moving to Branson, MO in 2011. Walter was an expert pattern maker and had an incredible career spanning more than forty years that took him from the garment factories of London England, to the fashion district of Los Angeles, CA.

Walter was of Jewish descent and was a member of the Beth Knesset Bamidbar synagogue in Lancaster, CA. His Hebrew name was Ze’ev Ben Zvi and his faith played a very important role in his life. He was also involved with Freemasonry, the charity organization that honored the core values of integrity, kindness, honesty, fairness, and tolerance.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Jackie, his three sons Ian, Dean, and Daniel, his three daughters Laura, Susan, and Marie as well as his 9 grandchildren, Natasha, Alana, Amy, James, Alexander, Nathan, Stella, Archie, and Wyatt.

Walter could be described as a calm spirit with a brilliant mind and charming wit. He lived a long, full life of 91 years. To know him was to love him and he will be deeply missed.

(If you have lost someone you love, I would like to extend my condolences and give you a big, virtual hug. If you are suffering with insurmountable pain, please tell someone. Anyone. Don’t go at this alone. There are so many resources to help you if you don’t have the support in your life. One of those is https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/grief )

#grief #loss #mentalhealth #inspiration #creativity #findlightinthedark