“Grief is love with no place to go.” The first time I heard this statement was December 4, 2019, the day after I shared that my grandmother, Nanny, passed away. It became my mantra for anything I lose in life whether it be an opportunity, a friend, or a family member. This was the first thought that came to mind when I got the call on July 21 that my older brother Gregory, who I called “GG,” had passed away. No matter how many times I may have ran the scenario through my mind that one day he would not be here, I still wasn’t ready when the moment arrived—especially around the planning for their final affairs. Recalling when my grandmother passed away, things were already set in place. In October 2019, she was placed in home hospice care with my mother and me as her main caregivers. Although we didn’t know the day or time she would leave us, we knew that we had to be prepared for it—and for it we were. She had life insurance which covered the funeral and then some. We had a power of...
