Reimagine Instagram Post Sarah Browne Story
One of the hardest things that impacted me was losing my dad’s girlfriend, Elaine, to cancer.
A resource by Sarah Jeanne Browne
One of the hardest things that impacted me was losing my dad’s girlfriend, Elaine, to cancer. We had just found forgiveness for a difficult relationship—her refusal to admit wrongdoing by cheating with my dad on my mom, and my refusal to let her see the pain this caused me.
I found my authentic self through the loss. I decided what mattered, and what didn't.
Elaine often sought approval and was highly competitive as a saleswoman in her field. She wanted a perfect family, the one thing I was holding back from her. I finally found family with her but it was fleeting. When she passed, I started thinking about my purpose in a new way and what kind of person she would want me to be.
I started asking myself hard questions: What meaning could I derive from my life? What really matters? Elaine lost her life too young and I had to make sure that I lived my life in a way that honored her.
I was no longer just living for myself, but for both of us. I turned to writing to process and express my grief, and wrote this article about moving through grief on Elephant Journal (link in bio).
From this experience, I've learned that loss doesn't mean your life is over. It goes on, even though that person has departed, we can find a way to live with more purpose.
- Sarah B. Speaker, Author, Activist
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