By Patricia D. Freudenberg
Life can change in an instant. Poof! There it is. One moment we are walking alongside our loved one, and the next, we are left holding memories like fragile glass in our hands. Whether it’s sudden or expected, the day they depart marks the beginning of something uninvited: life without them.
This newsletter isn’t about where spirit goes—we each hold sacred space for that belief, and that’s a beautiful thing. According to science, energy never dies—it only transforms. And grief, too, is a form of energy. It changes us, shakes us, moves us. And just like that… Poof! There it is. We’re left with the ache of absence and the overwhelming presence of love that lingers.
Whether we lost someone through a sudden tragedy or a slow, progressive illness, the moment of passing always arrives like a final curtain on a life chapter we weren’t ready to close.
But here’s where we flip the lens: We are still here. Still breathing. Still in the land of the living. And while the echo of grief plays softly or loudly, depending on the day, we find ourselves face to face with our own mortality—and our own potential.
So begins a new life. A different one. One that asks us to carry their legacy forward. One that dares us to discover meaning again, purpose again, even joy again. And just like that, Poof! There it is. A new beginning wrapped in the cloak of remembrance.
We may never be the same—but perhaps, we are becoming something more whole, more awakened, and more deeply human.
Reflection Prompt: What has “poofed” in your life that changed everything—and what part of you is being called to rise in its place?
Recommended Reading: For those seeking to embrace transformation while honoring the ones they’ve lost, Elevating Purpose: Stream of Promise, Volume 2 is a meaningful companion. This inspirational collection weaves together personal testimony and spiritual awakening, offering readers a pathway through grief and into renewed purpose. It’s more than a book—it’s a tribute to legacy and a reminder that even after loss, we are invited to rise, to heal, and to live with intention.
In loving memory of LaDeana Booker (Author LaDonna McLemore Twin Sister )
Available now on Amazon ⬇️
Elevating Purpose: Stream of Promise, Volume 2
© 2025 Patricia D. Freudenberg, Certified End-of-Life Coach. All Rights Reserved
