Some days I feel okay. Other days, a memory knocks the air out of me.

Grief isn’t a straight line. There’s no schedule. No checklist. No final destination where you “get over it.”

After losing my brother Darren, I kept expecting to wake up one day and feel better — like time alone would heal me. But the truth is, healing is messy. It’s quiet. It happens in waves.

Your grief is valid. Your healing is happening — even on the hard days.

Sometimes I smile at an old photo. Sometimes I cry because I miss his laugh. Sometimes I feel nothing at all. And all of that is normal.

If you’re grieving and wondering why you’re not “doing it right,” I want you to know: there’s no right way. You’re not failing. You’re just human.