This year has brought its fair share of highs and lows. Over the past month, I’ve been walking through one of the deepest valleys—one filled with reflection, cherished memories, and profound heartache.
On June 21st, my mom went to Heaven.
Back in November, after a fall caused by forgetting her diabetes medication, her blood sugar spiked, and her dementia worsened significantly. She could no longer care for herself. I flew to Houston and together with my sister, we made the heartbreaking decision to place her in a nursing home. Thankfully, the staff there was compassionate and full of love.
In June, her health declined rapidly. My daughter and I flew back to be by her side in her final days. That time together was incredibly moving—an experience I’ll hold close for the rest of my life. I will never forget the last words she spoke to me: “I love you, son.” I got to hear her speak the same words to my daughter, Mackenzy – words that resonate today as a generational blessing.
I’m deeply grateful for the time I was able to spend with her before she passed.
By trade, she was a surgical technician. But at her core, she was a musician—born into a family of musicians—and she shared her gift of piano with everyone fortunate enough to hear her play. From a young age, she embodied selflessness: first as a caregiver to her younger brother, and later as a shining example of what it means to be a mother. Her greatest joy was her family—a joy she poured into us and passed down through her love.
I’m still learning what it truly means to live selflessly, but she showed me what that looks like every single day. She was the model of a selfless parent.
It’s a strange and sobering thing to realize that both of my parents are now “away.” But there’s comfort in knowing they’re together again—whole, healed, and free from every burden they carried in this life. I miss them both deeply.
To those of you who reached out to me directly—thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your kindness and support have meant more than words can say and have been a true part of my healing journey.
I’ve come to realize that when all is said and done, each of us will face one simple, profound question. It won’t be about our accomplishments—those will fade with time. What we’ve built won’t endure, especially if it wasn’t rooted in love for others. And the number of followers we gathered will mean nothing in the end. Please don’t get me wrong…I’m all for having goals. But I’m a firm believer in those goals being rooted in love for others. Only what was built on love will last. Everything else will pass away.
What will matter—what will echo into eternity—can be summed up in a single question:
Did you love well?
Chat soon!
~L
