One Year of Sunshine: Finding Light

October 12 marks one year since my brother left this world. It is a date that will always tug at my heart, but this year I am choosing to look back through the lens of light. Not because it was easy, but because the journey through grief has shown me so much good.

Grief is strange. It can pull you under one moment and lift you up with gratitude the next. This year has been a roller coaster of emotions, but also a year of unexpected blessings, proof that even in the darkest places, light can still break through.

1. Closer to My Sister, Keri

In the quiet aftermath of losing my brother, my sister Keri and I found a new closeness. We have laughed, cried, and leaned on each other in ways we never had before. We have shared stories about Boyd that make us smile, and together we have carried his memory forward with love instead of only pain.

2. A Special Connection with James

Getting to know Boyd’s son, James, more deeply has been one of the true bright spots of this year. He has his dad’s kindness and quick wit, and every conversation feels like a small thread connecting the past to the present. Watching him grow into his own person brings both comfort and joy, and I am so grateful for the bond we are building.

3. A Stronger Faith

This year pushed me to look inward and upward. I had questions. I had doubts. But through prayer and reflection, I found peace in knowing that God meets us where we are. My faith feels stronger now, rooted not in having all the answers, but in trusting that light always returns.

4. Starting Suzie Sews Sunshine

What began as a small creative outlet turned into something far greater. Suzie Sews Sunshine became a way to connect, to create, and to heal, not just for me but for others too. Every apron, smock, or handmade gift carries a piece of joy, a reminder that small acts of kindness can ripple farther than we ever imagine.

5. Choosing to Spread Sunshine

If there is one lesson I have learned, it is that you cannot wait for light to find you. Sometimes you have to be the one to carry it. Every smile, every conversation, every handmade piece I share is a little piece of sunshine I get to send out into the world.

As October 12 approaches, I invite you to join me in spreading sunshine in honor of Boyd and in honor of anyone you have loved and lost. Check in on someone. Offer kindness without reason. Share a smile. Create something that lifts someone else.

Light grows when we share it. And this year, I have learned that even in the shadow of loss, sunshine always finds its way back.