Post by @taniaalexispomroy

After Charlotte passed away, it took ages before I felt able to visit our favourite places and do our favourite activities again. Doing them without her made reality clear and it was easier to avoid that pain by avoiding the things that I love. But bit by bit, I’ve been able to reintroduce things and whilst it will never be the same, I am able to enjoy them again and feel closer and more connected to her. One place we always spoke about visiting together and with our future family was Pendine Sands. It’s the area that Charlotte used to holiday at every year as a child and even as an adult, she described it as her “happy place”. Although we never had the opportunity to go together, last year, I decided to tick it off our list anyway. It was so special to see all of her stories come to life and I had such a peaceful week that I immediately rebooked for this year. Looking back through these pictures, I can see genuine happiness. We had a week of switching off, having fun, reconnecting with nature and spending quality time with each other. To be able to experience that in a place which was so close to Charlotte’s heart is such a privilege. Her happy place has also become my happy place and each time I visit, I will carry her with me because without her, I never would have gone. I’m sharing these thoughts to potentially give hope to someone who is also on a grieving journey. Hope that one day, you will be able to remember your loved one whilst smiling. Hope that you will reach the point where happiness and sadness can coexist and that you will feel more acceptant of that. Of course, grief isn’t linear and not every week looks like this but, if Tania in February 2024 saw that this was possible, I think it would have given her hope too. #griefandloss #griefsupport #grievingjourney #widowsoftiktok #widow