![\"mom\"](\"https:\/\/lostpineslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/mom-164x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhen we lose someone we love, we grieve. \u00a0 The grief and healing process helps us gradually let go of the cherished relationship as we knew it and find a way to hold the loved one inside forever. \u00a0I lost my mother \u00a0October 7, 2014. \u00a0I had been losing her to Alzheimer’s disease for the past few years feeling a slow deep loss of her, and of our family as I knew it. \u00a0 My role as a daughter changed. \u00a0She needed me as much as I had needed her when I had my babies, and when I was emotionally hurting and turned to her. \u00a0I missed the way she celebrated the good things with me like only a mother could. \u00a0I missed sharing the things we both loved–Mom, my daffodils are blooming; the baby took first steps; what’s missing in my dressing? \u00a0Her death was the shocking slam of a slowly closing door. \u00a0I felt unanchored. \u00a0I didn’t know exactly what it meant to be in the world without my mother.<\/p>\n
One month later, I first saw the land that we now own and call Little Piney. \u00a0I fell in love with this place. \u00a0As we walked the property, the pines seemed to hold me. \u00a0I felt comfort and wonder. \u00a0I wanted to be here. \u00a0A pileated woodpecker landed briefly above our heads. \u00a0Cardinals were everywhere, my mom’s favorite bird. \u00a0It felt like home with the carpet of pine needles underfoot, smelled like home with the scent of pine in the air. \u00a0There were many challenges to buying this property, but we persisted, and it happened in January. \u00a0I feel abundantly blessed to live here. \u00a0I have the deep sense that it was meant to be. \u00a0I will mother this place, and it will mother me.<\/p>\n
Her obituary reads “Joyce Fuller Bridges, the heart and soul of our large family, passed away October 7, 2014, leaving a treasured legacy of warmth and love. She taught us that love is generous and powerful, and heals all hurts. She created a culture of joy and support that made home both a refuge and a fun place to be. She will be with us always in our hearts, a voice telling us each that we are special and can do anything.”<\/p>\n
Thank you, Mom. \u00a0I love you.<\/p>\n
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When we lose someone we love, we grieve. \u00a0 The grief and healing process helps us gradually let go of the cherished relationship as we knew it and find a way to hold the loved one inside forever. \u00a0I lost my mother \u00a0October 7, 2014. \u00a0I had been losing her to Alzheimer’s disease for theContinue reading<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":122,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[5,122,42,45,44,43,6],"class_list":["post-119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lost-pines-life","tag-bastrop-tx","tag-daughters-grief","tag-grief","tag-grief-process","tag-joyce-fuller-bridges","tag-loss-of-mother","tag-lost-pines"],"yoast_head":"\n