37. 'Time to Fly': On Grieving, Mothering, and Loving Again

This is a conversation with Eileen Robertson Hamra about her memoir ‘Time to Fly: Life and Love after Loss’ – a story of resilience, grief, and love, told with raw honesty and deep vulnerability. In December 2011 Eileen and Brian Robertson and their three young children were preparing for Christmas celebrations together, when Brian was tragically killed in an airplane crash. Ripping their world apart, Eileen says “waves of grief start immediately, and when the first wave hit, it knocked me over. I still cannot imagine more pain. In the first hours and days following the worst news of my life, my human body worked in mysterious ways to protect my soul”. As a mother, woman, and wife, Eileen forged a path forward in her life for both herself and her children that honoured Brian’s life and continued his legacy, while living with a deep and renewed sense of purpose. She says “the transformation of pain and the self is not a burning or turning away – the goal is not to deny or destroy our sadness or our past. We cannot grow only by leaning into joy.” In the episode we talk about this journeying, reflecting on the nature of grief and the ongoing process of grieving. Eileen shares with us how she opened herself up to finding love again, and what it was like to begin a new relationship with her now husband, Mike. She talks about the complexities of supporting her children through both the loss of their father, and integrating into their new family unit, as well as the incredible journey of having a baby with Mike, giving birth to her fourth child at age 46. This is a conversation about grief, loss, transformation, love, lack of control, surrender, mothering, legacy, and life purpose, for anyone who believes in the power of hope and resilience. You can connect with Eileen through her website: https://www.eileenrobertsonhamra.com/