Never would I have imagined my family and I would be part of something that we only saw in movies. It's still hard to wrap my head around this as I try to process the waves of anger, sadness, and confusion. How could my cousin, only 23 years old, so gifted and kind hearted, with so much life ahead of him, someone with many other paths still open or could've found his way back home to us, be overcome by demons and a heaviness he didn't deserve. Something we may never understand. Why? The priest during the service said something that resonated with how I felt and what we may all needed to hear. He told us to let go of the anger, the regrets, the what ifs and if onlys, because no matter how much we replay things in our minds, it can't change what's happened. Instead, he reminded us to hold onto the love, the laughter, and the light that Kenny brought into our lives. To carry his memory, not with sadness, but with gratitude. To let the kindness he showed inspire us to be kinder, the joy he brought remind us to find joy, and the love he gave continue through the love we share with others. Because in that way, he's never truly gone: he's still with us, always, until we meet again. And one day, when our own journey here is done, we will get see him again, whole and radiant, feeling only peace, only love. I may still not understand, and I probably won't for a while. But I'll hold onto the love you left. Until then. We love you, Kenny ❤️🩹 #MentalHealthAwareness #grief #military #family
I feel extremely vulnerable sharing this, but I’m still figuring out how to move through it. I usually process my feelings in silence and alone, prioritizing looking put together. I also tend to think that there’s already so many sad things in the world that why do I need to add more of that on the internet for people to witness. Sitting on this, I remember that this is not a completely unique experience, as we all tend to feel alone in the moments of our heaviness. This video seems like a normal day for the most part, and maybe that’s the point. You just… keep going. My cousin will always be in my heart, and maybe the finding of the meanings in his passing will come to me in the quiet moments, in lessons, and in ways I choose to honor him 🤍 #grief #MentalHealthAwareness