Five years ago, my daughter was still in diapers when her dad died.
Today, she put on her backpack, kissed me goodbye, and walked into kindergarten.
Five years ago, my son was ten and barely tall enough to ride the big rides at the fair.
Today, he’s in high school—and somehow, he’s taller than me.
Time passed.
They grew.
And quietly… so did I.
Back-to-School as a Widowed Mom
Back-to-school season always brings a wave of emotion for moms—but for widowed moms, it hits different. It marks another year of doing this without the person you once pictured standing beside you. Another set of milestones they don’t get to see. Another reminder that life has kept moving forward… even when it felt like yours had stopped.
There was a time I didn’t know how to move forward. I didn’t know how to raise kids through grief while carrying my own. I didn’t know how to celebrate milestones without guilt, or how to let joy back in without feeling like I was betraying the past.
But over the years, healing has found its way in.
We’ve found our rhythm again. We’ve built new traditions. We’ve let love in, sometimes in unexpected ways.
No, This Isn’t the Life I Imagined
Our life doesn’t look like what I planned.
It’s not the family I once imagined.
But it’s real. And it’s beautiful in its own, evolving way.
We laugh a lot. We cry when we need to. We talk about him. We remember. And we make room for what’s here now, too.
No, being a widow is not a blessing. But the strength we’ve built, the love we’ve grown, the peace we’ve worked for? That is a blessing.
We’re not stuck in the past, and we’re not chasing a fantasy of what might’ve been. We’re here. Now. Living, growing, and moving forward together.
To the Widow Just Starting This Journey…
If you’re in the early days, still caught in the fog of grief, unsure how you’ll ever feel steady again, I want you to know:
You don’t have to figure it all out.
You don’t have to have a five-year plan.
You just have to keep showing up.
Because healing doesn’t always look like a breakthrough.
Sometimes it looks like packing lunches.
Sometimes it looks like a growth spurt.
Sometimes it looks like letting yourself smile without guilt.
This life may not be what you imagined.
But there’s still beauty here.
There’s still meaning here.
And slowly, you learn how to carry both the ache and the joy.
You’re not who you were before.
But who you are now?
She’s quietly becoming someone powerful.
About Krystal Casey
Krystal's journey began with the healing power of yoga, which led her to open her own studio. However, her life took a challenging turn when her husband was charged with sexual abuse against a minor and subsequently passed away. Despite the immense grief, Krystal found the strength to persevere for the sake of her five children. Through months of self-care, self-intimacy, and self-empowerment, she discovered a new level of resilience and inner strength.
Now, as a motivational speaker and international best-selling author, Krystal is on a mission to help other moms and widows find hope and healing. She is dedicated to speaking out against generational trauma, abuse, and adversity, offering a voice of empowerment and change.
If you are a widow or mom struggling to find hope and strength, Krystal Casey is here to support you. Connect with her through krystalcasey.com for resources, inspiration, and guidance on your journey to healing and empowerment. Remember, you are not alone, and there is hope for a brighter tomorrow.