Try not to sweat the small stuff.
To put it bluntly, I try to prioritize things that actually matter to me. I have to be cautious where I lend my time and energy so that I can hold space for the people that need it, and for my children who deserve their mom at her best. Laugh off the inconveniences of the day and squeeze your favorite people more!
- Enjoy the good moments to their fullest. I have seen the absolute worst things. No one I have ever cared for regretted doing something they love or visiting somewhere beautiful. I love having and enjoying a moment just for me where I can be fully present and take in the whole experience.
- We are all carrying heavy stories that others know nothing about. Grief is hard to pinpoint since it’s not a singular emotion. We don’t know who is walking around with a serious diagnosis, whose loved one is dying, who is suffering a loss. Relationships are profound and complex, and things like caring for elderly parents, going through a divorce, or even coping with parenting are common struggles that make an already harsh world so much more difficult to manage.
- A little kindness goes a long way. Nothing makes me feel better than an unexpected compliment or a door being held when I’m already feeling unseen. I am happy to return someone’s grocery cart, leave a good review, or drop off an unexpected treat. The words and actions we choose can absolutely make or break someone’s day.
- Death is weird. It tends to demonstrate a lot of dichotomies; It can be peaceful and traumatic, beautiful and ugly, full of relief and regret, but it is part of everyone’s journey.
- Grief is a profound and complex emotion. Grief is not linear. Grief is not just one feeling. We never escape it, but rather learn to live with and around it, no matter what the grief is about.
- Sometimes people just need to be heard. This is such an easy one for me to elaborate on. Do not immediately offer your side or your experience when someone is explaining a tough situation. Sometimes just listening and truly validating or acknowledging someone else’s situation is what they need.
- Death care is not black and white. There are so many different options for how your funeral home can help you select services that resonate with you and your person. No two people are the same, so we should treat their death with the same individuality.
- This is all for the legacy we leave behind. It’s about the impact you leave in the lives of others.
- Sometimes love is not enough. Loving someone does not mean you have the capacity to change them. Love is not a substitute for professional or clinical interventions. Some situations are bigger than the relationship and certain people need resources, specialists, and environments.
Editor’s Note: In Memoriam is a local funeral and cremation services establishment with deep roots in our community. Kelsi grew up in Broomfield and attended Broomfield High School. Her love for our community is unwavering and her calm, reassuring, and compassionate care of our loved ones is unmatched. Her knowledge, professionalism, and organization leaves families with a peace of mind that is very much needed and appreciated during times of loss.
For more information or help with funeral services:
Kelsi Tesone Mathews, MSP
Owner, Licensed Advance-Planning Agent
303-997-6667
Kelsi@inmemoriamservices.com
www.inmemoriamservices.com
7290 West 119th Place, Broomfield, CO 80020
