by orla blackburn | Jan 18, 2026 | blog, Grief Support, Personal Stories
Another Year, Another Layer This week marks my eighth birthday without Andy. I was 48 when he died—just a couple of months shy of 49—and this year, I’ll turn 56. For eight birthdays now, there’s been no “Happy Birthday, Orls” from the other side of the bed. No card...
by orla blackburn | Dec 29, 2025 | blog, Grief Support, Personal Stories
I thought Christmas Day would be the hardest. So I planned. I filled the day. I made sure it was loud and bright and full of people. I threw myself into the performance of “everything’s fine” because I couldn’t bear the thought of my little boy missing out on the...
by orla blackburn | Jul 27, 2025 | blog, Grief Support, Personal Stories, Personal Stories
Sometimes I forget what it feels like to be held. I don’t mean physically. I mean emotionally, mentally, nervously—held in a way where someone actually hears you. Where you don’t have to justify how hard things have been or explain why you’re still not “over...
by orla blackburn | May 9, 2025 | blog, Grief Suppost, Personal Stories
When my husband died, I thought I knew what grief felt like—I’d lost family before, been to funerals, experienced deep sadness. But this was different. This was grief that unraveled every part of my life. In this post, I’m sharing what really happened in the months...
by orla blackburn | Apr 25, 2025 | blog, Grief Suppost, Personal Stories
When I started this new life after loss, fear walked beside me every step of the way. It still does. But I’ve learned something powerful: You don’t have to wait for fear to leave to move forward. I’ve felt terrified every single time I tried something new Since...
