Fourteen years ago today, my life changed in a way I never thought possible. At 18 years old, my son, Joe, died tragically. I miss him every day, and I will always wonder why. Yet, I understand I may never know why this side of heaven, and I will remain grateful he was a part of my life. 

One thing that has helped me along the way is to not focus on his death. Instead, I have asked family and friends to recall a happy memory of Joe, and I love when they share them with me.

One, in particular, Joe, worked at a local car wash. A friend of my mother's said she liked Joe's smile, and when he would use the sprayer to clean off her car, he would wink at her. So sweet, and I can see him doing this.

As we each go through the journey of losing loved ones, the anniversary of their death is challenging to say the least. There is no right or wrong way to handle the day, and I pray that you can find a way to bring some comfort to yourself. 

I would like to offer this Bible verse: