365 days to normal?
"You just gotta get through the first year!" I have heard this expression many times over the past year, along with other variations. I've heard people say this in movies and to others who have experienced death, but I've never really thought that deeply about it until I've had to. I've concluded something about this expression. It seems like someone tries to offer comfort while also pointing to their desire that you return to normal, and it's going to take 365 days to do so. Although I appreciate the sentiment and know it comes with good intentions, I can now confirm for you that nothing has returned to normal for me on this 20th day of February, one year after my Mom's death. My senior class advisor informed me that the first year of college would be the hardest. Plenty of baby books assured me that the first year of motherhood would come with the most challenges. And I am pretty confident that my first year on a new job came with the most signif...