my mom died when i was 21. i became an expert at not talking about

HEARING ANOTHER PERSON’S
STORY, I FOUND WORDS
FOR MINE.
MY MOM DIED WHEN I WAS 21. I BECAME AN EXPERT AT
NOT TALKING ABOUT IT, FILLING MY DAYS WITH ANYTHING
BUT CANCER. I KEPT THAT UP FOR YEARS, UNTIL MY FRIEND
CARLA INVITED A GROUP OVER FOR DINNER WHO HAD ALL
LOST PARENTS. WE TALKED UNTIL 2 A.M. AND THEN WE KEPT
GETTING TOGETHER. I STARTED TO SEE THAT LOSS COULD BE
A DOOR-OPENER, NOT A CONVERSATION-KILLER. SOMETIMES,
ALL IT TAKES IS DINNER.
KNOW SOMEONE HAVING A ROUGH TIME? GET PRACTICAL
TIPS ON BEING THERE FOR OTHERS IN A RANGE OF LIFE’S
CHALLENGES. VISIT HELPEACHOTHEROUT.COM
A collaborative portrait project
of Help Each Other Out and
The Dinner Party, which is
working to change #lifeafterloss
one dinner at a time.