Getting Creative After the Loss of My Son

I haven't done anything creative since the loss of my son. It is now October 26, 2026, my 66th birthday. It has been 22 days since the loss of my beloved son. I'm still wearing black every day. I last saw Jonathan one month before his demise. It was the day before his last birthday. I gave him the card I made and some birthday money. He had spent the previous night with us. Cassidy and her boyfriend, Ashton, joined us that evening, sharing cake and ice cream as we celebrated both my husband, whose birthday is on the 4th, and Jonathan's birthday on the 5th of September. I didn't know that this would be the last time I would see and hug my son while he was still alive. The next morning, Jonathan left our home to go on a traveling adventure. He gave me my birthday gift early, this little book nook. So today, on my birthday, I am endeavoring to start building the book nook that Jonathan gave me, all the while thinking of him. This is the first creative thing. I have done since losing my son. I miss him very much. Grieve for his loss. He still had so much potential left in him. So many dreams yet unfulfilled. So many plans not carried out yet. It's not supposed to be this way. Perfect companion to my collection of romance novels. I had to rearrange my shelf too. Because I didn't want it sitting next to political books. So I rearranged my shelves pulling all my favorite romance novels surrounding the little book nook. It's the perfect companion to my collection of romance novels. I love the idea of a book nook because found within the pages of a good book is a trip to another time and space, a place to meet new people. And share new experiences. This little book nook is where one can have a romantic stroll down a Paris alley. Maybe stop for a coffee in the bar on the left. Mail a letter to a loved one in the post office on the far right. Or stop into the bookstore on the near right to pick up a new novel. Perhaps written by my son. Jonathan has written five novels. and was very close to getting the first one of the series published before he lost his life on that hiking trip out west. Our family collectively is going to do our best to get his books published. He made sure that we have copies of all his writings. There is nothing like Like sitting down with a good fictional book. To immerse oneself into another world of adventure and possibilities. We all need time. Time to pause from this life of woe and misery. To escape, even for just a little while. To get lost in a good book.