Forgive me

The beauty of life and death

I didn’t get to attend my maternal grandmother’s funeral. The kids were just too little at the time, and it didn’t feel right to leave them for that long. My family understood, and they never pressured me to make the long trip home.

So, I grieved quietly from the other side of the world—remembering how steady she had always been for me. How much I’d miss her presence. How deeply I wished she could’ve watched my children grow.

When I finally went home months later, I got to grieve with my mom. We cried. We laughed. We shared stories that brought her back to life, even just for a little while. I mostly remember what my mom said that has stayed with me ever since:

“Remember—she’s in you, and will be, forever.”

I didn’t fully grasp what she meant at the time. But as I’ve lived through more life—and more loss—those words have started to land.

You’ll have to forgive me if I’ve been sounding a bit morbid lately.

After my last post—a quiet tribute to the late poet Andrea Gibson—I’ve been sitting with the truth that the people we lose often become more present than ever. Their lives, their words, their legacy… they echo in us. They live on in our choices, our memories, our stories.

Another soul who continues to teach me, long after his passing, is Steve Jobs.

At the end of his life, he didn’t talk about iPhones or market share. Instead, he left behind a few simple truths—none of them about technology, and all of them about what really matters:

• Don’t raise your children to be rich. Raise them to be happy, so they’ll understand the value of things—not just the price.

• Eat your food as medicine, or you’ll end up eating medicine as your food.

• The six best doctors in the world? Sunlight, rest, exercise, diet, self-confidence, and friends. Keep them close.

• If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk together.

• The ones who truly love you will never leave. Even if they have a hundred reasons to give up, they’ll find one reason to stay.

I’m not sharing these reflections to be morbid, but to honor the wisdom that lingers long after people are gone. These reminders ask us to live on purpose—to be mindful, intentional, and grateful for the time we do have.

Because what a gift it is to be here. And what a legacy it is to carry them forward.

With love and gratitude,

xoxo

Kit

P.S. If you are new here, and want to learn more about my holistic acupuncture & coaching practice, you can visit my website at kityoon.com