Jessica: Processing Grief and Preserving Memories

Explicit content warning

03/02/21 • 45 min

I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you. I love you: Jessica, a teacher in New York, writes to preserve the memory of losing her mother. Guilt-ridden and grieving, Jessica confesses to her mom how she lied to protect her, why she kept her voicemails, and what she’d give now to go out and run the errands she used to resent. In today’s conversation Jessica shares how re-reading the letter allowed her to forgive herself, discusses spirituality, and where she plans to eventually scatter her mom’s ashes.

We’d love to hear your letters. Get in touch if you’ve been writing to yourself in tough times: [email protected].

Thanks to Matt for creating FutureMe and collaborating with us on this show by helping letter-writers opt-in to be interviewed.

Links:

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’d love to hear your letters. Get in touch if you’ve been writing to yourself in tough times: [email protected].

Thanks to Matt for creating FutureMe and collaborating with us on this show by helping letter-writers opt-in to be interviewed.

Links:

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Previous Episode

Rory: Fear and Fatherhood

Hope all goes well and you're not too grey or fat: Rory, a new dad in Kilkenny, Ireland, is writing to himself 7 weeks into fatherhood. A first baby and a new job; Rory finds life as he knew it quickly slipping away. Speaking to hosts Sophie, Steph, and Maria 10 years later, Rory reflects on the fear he had for his future, who gets baby-naming priority, and why he’s looking forward to retiring.

Have you dug out an old letter from 10 years ago? Share it with us! [email protected].

Thanks to Matt for creating FutureMe and collaborating with us on this show by helping letter-writers opt-in to be interviewed.

Links:

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Next Episode

Nicholas: God Loves You, Even With The Gay

You can still do all the things your heart aches for: Nicholas, a Marketing and Media Director in Colorado, is writing a letter for his 30th Birthday. But far from celebration, Nicholas’ mind is full of worry. What does faith look like when the church condemns him? Will he be rejected by those closest to him for living authentically? Will he ever be a famous musician-actor-model? Nicholas opens up to hosts Steph, Sophie, and Maria about his aggressively homophobic former workplace, the messiness of coming out as an adult, and asks why it’s deemed vulgar to show queer love in public, when heterosexuality is present everywhere.

Have you written to yourself? Tell us about it! Email: [email protected].

Thanks to Matt for creating FutureMe and collaborating with us on this show by helping letter-writers opt-in to be interviewed.

Links:

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.