Needless to say, 2017 was a rough year. It is difficult for me to wrap my mind around the fact that my father is gone. It seems like a lifetime since he passed and yet it also seems like yesterday. I miss him terribly.

I'm not special or unique. Loss is universal. I have spoken with people whose parents died many years ago and yet, they still have an emotional response that indicates the wounds are still fresh. I know the more time that passes, the more I miss speaking to my dad.

I truly believe loved ones become part of us - physically part of us. They are literally ingrained in the neuropathways of our brain. We have roadmaps in our physical brain with detailed information about these people and animals we love. It's hard to deny how extraordinary this is and how profound loss impacts our lives.

Life does go on, but it is now different - tinged with an urgency to spend more time doing what I want and less time drudging through meaningless tasks. I have left corporate America for now. I'm freelancing, pursuing art as well as teaching it. I appreciate time spent with my family more. I am better at keeping in contact with friends and family and I am certainly more grateful for the time I get to spend with them.