Jannette Marie Brown - Marriage Celebrant and Justice of The Peace

11/03/2025

Grief journey

01/03/2025

28/02/2025

The hardest part
about you being gone is
wondering how long it
will be until
I see you again

I find myself looking for signs
of you in the world around me,
hoping for a glimpse that reminds me of your presence

In a soft breeze, a familiar song,
or a stray feather floating
from the sky

Memories flood my mind,
both comforting and bittersweet,
as I hold onto the moments
we shared

Though the days feel
longer and the nights quieter,
I find comfort in the thought that
you are at peace

Although you are no longer
here in the way I wish you were,
your spirit continues to guide me, offering strength and love in my moments of need

I hold onto the hope that one day,
in another time and place, our paths will cross again, and we will share the joy of each other’s
company once more

Until then, I cherish the moments
we had and carry them with me
as a cherished treasure

A guiding light in the darkness

Until we meet again …

Helen Lapierre
Hello to Heaven

21/02/2025

My mum

Not a single day goes by that i don’t think of you.🥺💔🌹💫

04/02/2025

A note to self

🙌🪧🍀 February Note to Self
• Forget who forgets you.
• Let it end. Let it hurt. Let it heal. Let it go.
• You know you have a big heart when you feel bad for doing what's best for you.
• When something is right for you it will give you energy. That's how you know.
• Priorities are rare, options are everywhere.
• It's about who stands in the rain with you, when they also have a choice to be dry.
• Don't force your importance in someone's life.
• Two things I will never forget:
- How a person treated me.
- What a person made me feel.

24/01/2025

Deep thoughts to share today

I’ve always believed in the power of silent cut-offs. Sometimes, actions speak louder than words, and when someone crosses a line, I don’t need to explain myself. The truth is, I don’t owe anyone a long explanation for why I choose to distance myself. If you’ve done something that hurt or disappointed me, you already know what you did—there’s no need for me to spell it out. The absence of communication can say more than any conversation, and it’s a way of asserting that I’m no longer willing to tolerate certain behaviors.

People often underestimate the strength in cutting ties quietly. It’s not about drama or making a scene; it’s about maintaining my peace and showing that I’m not interested in playing games or indulging in petty explanations. Those who know me understand that when I go silent, it’s because I’ve already made up my mind, and I’m not going to waste energy on what’s already been decided. Nobody is naive enough to not realize their actions—sometimes, leaving things unspoken is the most powerful response.

Ctto.

19/01/2025

A flower for my mother today

The memory flower
"Come and pick a flower"
said one angel to the other.
"Let us listen to it's calling,
it may be from your Mother"

"But there are so many flowers,
how will I know which is for me?"
The other Angel smiled, and said
"You will pick the right memory"

So much in heavens garden,
flowers of love grew everywhere.
I wondered which was mine,
but I saw it just right there.

I bent down and heard its voice,
not one, but each was clear.
I smiled, I cried and laughed,
so you knew that I was near.

I put my flower in my heart,
just like the one before,
knowing I'd be back real soon,
as I knew they'd grow some more.
Joanne Boyle ~ Heartfelt
Art by Steffi Krenzek

10/01/2025

A few words of Grief Wisdom for you today. As these months tick by, I still miss my Mum so much . I just cannot describe my want to be with her right now - I guess the girl in me just wants her Mum for those hugs and wise words of love as our lives are under extra stress right now.
Miss you so much my mum

I sat down to try and write what it feels like to lose someone I love. But as I stared at the page, it remained empty.

How do you put into words the weight of a silence that never ends?
How do you describe the ache of missing someone so much that even your memories feel fragile, like whispers in the wind?

The truth is, there are no words for the kind of loss that changes who you are.
It’s a language of tears, a dialogue of heartache, and an understanding shared only by those who have walked this path.

Grief isn’t just sadness—it’s the void left behind, the unanswered questions, the milestones they’ll never see.
It’s carrying their absence in everything you do, while wishing—just for a moment—that you could carry them instead.

So the page stayed blank.
Because sometimes, the only way to express a loss this profound… is to feel it.
And maybe, that’s okay.

Because love, even in its absence, is bigger than words. And grief, as heavy as it is, is proof of just how deeply they mattered.

25/12/2024

This is for me and you today

Christmas without your mother…

Means you are now she.
You are the one who creates ‘Christmas’.
You are the one who honours the traditions,
ensures that the joy is passed down,
as she would have liked.

But that is hard when you are hurting,
when you are just a little girl,
deep down,
who misses her mama.

So, be kind to that little girl
but go forth
and do what your mother taught you to do…
love.
Because one thing is for sure,
she taught you well.

Donna Ashworth

From Growing Brave

Art by Catrin Welz-Stein



Sharing this today for all the strong mamas out there who need reminding of their ‘whys’. You are loved and you are not alone, never alone x

14/12/2024

A fairly long read but a goodie
One day at a time my friend
One day at a time

On the 5th year of grieving…

These are the lessons that most helped me:

1. Scream in your car. It’s cathartic. Trust me. Give it a try.

2. Try not to compare your grief to others. Even if you lost the same person…it’s a different relationship.

3. Isolating is normal. Just remember to check in with the ones who check on you.

4. Ugly cries…like the ones that touch the depths of your soul are actually quite helpful. A release.

5. Express your feelings. Whether on paper, to a therapist, a trusted friend or using another creative outlet…get those emotions out so they don’t get stuck.

6. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been since you last heard their voice…the waves of grief can crash into you at any time. Any place..when reality hits again that they are really gone.

7. Let go of the guilt. We would all go back and do something differently if we could. You only had the information we had at that time with no way of knowing what was going to happen. You are only human.

8. Sometimes it helps to change traditions so it doesn’t hurt as much when they won’t be there..

9. But…Try to find a way to honor them at these events so they feel close to you.

10. Anxiety is normal. Because grief lets fear take over as you are now aware that terrible things can happen. It makes you feel out of control. Talk to your doctor if you feel it’s interfering with every day life.

11. Try a gratitude journal. I know this is the worst time to ask you to feel grateful but it helps. Just one thing a day. It could be that you didn’t burn dinner that night. But in time..it will get easier. That’s how you know you are moving through your darkest days.

12. Walk. Just getting out and getting fresh air and exercise can make a difference in your mental health. I love being out in nature to clear my mind.

13. Time doesn’t lessen grief. It’s what you do with that time. If you don’t grieve, emotions will have nowhere to go. You have to feel the pain of this loss. Lean into it even if it hurts. That’s how you move forward with it.

14. We are our own worst critics. Try giving yourself a no judgement zone. Grieving is frustrating. Especially when you have a particularly good day but end up a sobbing mess on the floor the next. Remember this journey is not linear. Try talking to yourself like you would if it was your best friend going through the same thing. BE your best friend because you are the only one who knows what this loss feels like.

15. Which brings me to self care. Give yourself love. And pep talks. And lots and lots of grace.

16. Grieving is a thousand conversations your mind has with your heart. Eventually your life (that you were given no choice but to live) grows around the pain. It’s a long road of getting used to this different world without your loved one in it. The pain will dull, wounds will heal, then the scab covering it sometimes gets ripped off again during special days. And so on. Which brings me back to #15. Give yourself grace.

Because I don’t have to tell you how hard this is. You know all too well. Just keep going. One minute at a time. One hour a time. Then one day. Just keep going.

10/12/2024

Why I will Never Get Over Losing You:

Our lives are intertwined. The inside jokes. Each memory. So many of you.
Of us.
Everywhere I look. There we are.

Like a carefully knitted sweater.
You and I.
So many hours of life spent…
Woven together.
The laughs. The heartbreaks. Love. Tears. Adventures.

Year after Year.

Overlapping. Our lives together.

Tightly.

Then you were gone in an instant.

But what we built together can’t all just unravel like that.

After all that time. We are held together with all we were.

You just don’t stop loving. You don’t split your life into before and after.

Because you are very much still here within me.

I will never forget such an irreplaceable part of my life.

Impossible.

All that time spent. Together.

The one who contributed to the laugh lines in my own smile. The one who is in all of my best memories. My wins were your wins. Yours were mine. You are in my most treasured photographs. In the tight hugs I still can feel somehow…

Somedays it may look frayed and tattered. Because losing you wore me down. So much.

But I hold tightly to what is still dear to me. Our memories together still in tact. Secured.
Woven through and through.
You and I.
Me and you.

For Always.