For many of us, the house we grow up in is really a home because our mothers made it that way. Moms make homes, or at least they’re supposed to. When our mothers die, the physical structure of the house may remain, but the home disappears. This is an experience that is hard to explain to those who haven’t gone through it. When your mom has made your house a home, losing her can feel like another loss, a loss of the life you had. The life that was created because your Mom created it.

Trying to find comfort in a place that should be comforting but suddenly is no longer can be a source of great frustration and grief. It can also cause feelings of guilt, for not feeling as connected to the family members who are still there. This can cause enormous strain between fathers and children, siblings and grandparents.

Connecting back to home can also be a source of comfort. It’s the place of memory and love. It’s a place of connection, despite how painful it may be. Finding this connection can be a way back to our mothers.