Re-Learning Joy
Joy doesn’t erase grief.
It balances it.
Have you ever heard the phrase bittersweet?
That’s what I think of when I picture laughing while crying at the same time…
hurting and loving in the same breath.
Because grief and joy can exist together.
Even when it feels confusing.
A new baby is born—
there is overwhelming joy for new life…
and at the very same time,
a quiet ache because someone you love isn’t there to witness it.
Both are real.
Both are valid.
I felt this deeply on my wedding day.
I was so happy—truly happy—
to marry my best friend and begin a life together.
But underneath that joy…
there was heartbreak.
My dad wasn’t there.
He passed in 2015.
He never got to meet my husband.
Never got to sit him down, ask the hard questions,
or decide if he was “good enough” for me.
He didn’t get to walk me down the aisle.
And in the middle of one of the most beautiful days of my life,
there were quiet moments that felt incredibly heavy.
Bittersweet.
And here’s what I’ve learned:
You don’t have to choose between joy and grief.
You are allowed to feel both.
You are allowed to laugh again
without guilt.
You are allowed to experience happiness
without feeling like you’re leaving someone behind.
Because you’re not.
You carry them with you—
into every moment, every milestone, every piece of your future.
Re-learning joy after loss isn’t about “moving on.”
It’s about allowing light back in
while still honoring the love that never left.
If you need a place to start, I created something for you.
Your Daily Spark Journal
A gentle resource to help you slow down, reflect, and reconnect with yourself.
You don’t have to feel guilty for moments of joy.
They don’t take away from your love.
They honor it.
With hope and encouragement,
Dawn
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