In October '22 my dear friend Ana passed away unexpectedly. She was young, energetic, ambitious, beautiful, sweet. She left behind three young children, her husband, her parents and brother and many friends, including myself.

After receiving the terrible news, I went straight to the Netherlands to be there, to attend the funeral and give a speech, and to be with her husband, children and friends. But at some point I had to leave the Netherlands, to return to 'normal' life in Sydney. But what was 'normal life'? What was normal for others, didn't feel normal at all to me. I was wrapped in a blanket of sadness. Meetings, deadlines, dropping the kids off at school, grocery shopping - it all felt different, almost as if a filter had been placed on my world.

I learned that within grief - and mourning - there are, for me, two big challenges; First of course missing the person who left this world. I felt the need to talk about what she was like, her life, her story. If I didn't talk about her, she seemed more 'gone'. But how do you start these conversations and how do your friends and family understand this need. Do you just start talking? I was afraid that I would cry and the other person would cry too.

Secondly, it feels like you are looking at the world through a lens that you didn't ask for. Health, friendships, quality of life, the realization that you shouldn't take anything for granted - meetings, grocery shopping - this new perspective on life.

I started looking for things that could help (books, self-help for grief, art). It was all so dark, black-edged and ugly. I was looking for more 'light' things, for tools to talk about her and to organize my thoughts. And also - something to give to her children, her friends, her family.

Something colorful - like she was. And even now, 1.5 years later, I still need and appreciate that.

Fast forward to now: Stories to Cherish

Hand drawn, made with love and with a mission.

Listen, ask and share.

Love!