In the journey of grief, certain moments hit harder than others. Today, I opened my Storia journal and found myself confronting one of those moments: a simple, yet devastating wish to hear my mother’s voice one more time.
Pick Up the Phone, It’s Mom:
Everyday I see people take their mothers for granted. They reject the call. They brush her off. “Oh no, next time.” But one day there won’t be a next time. I know they don’t get it yet, and so is life. Oh I fondly remember that, there was a time I didn’t get it either.
But now I’m on the side where I wish I could have one more call, one more “next time,” but it won’t ever come.
And the grass isn’t greener at all; in fact, it’s dead over here incase you’re wondering. Yea, it’s dead.. I checked… just like my mom.
And no, I’m not talking to those of you who have gone no contact. I’m looking at those with loving, caring, try-their-hardest (even if it’s their first go at life too) moms who put it off til next time. And I get it I had the superstar, that’s your number one fan type moms. And I’m sitting here telling you oh I regret and remember every single call I let go to voicemail or dog video I ignored.
You’ll regret this one day too, maybe not tomorrow or even the next 100 tomorrows but one of them you will. And after that you’ll regret it for every tomorrow that you will live to see. Shit maybe more.
And if you don’t, that means you’re one of the ones whose moms had to bury them.
And that’s maybe even worse. Because now your mom had to bury you and you made her live life with one less conversation with her child. Yea that’s tough man. You’d do that to your mom? Ouch. But seriously call your mom… just to even tell her that I said hi and talk to her a bit. You know since I don’t have one to call.
Just answer the phone or text next time it’s her. Maybe even act like you care… if not for her or you, do it for me, remember I’m gonna used the dead mom card again and say since I no longer can.
Finding Space for Grief with Storia
Processing these complex emotions becomes a little easier with tools that create space for reflection. The Storia journal app has become my digital sanctuary for these otherwise pent-up feelings and moments of grief or remembrance.
What makes Storia stand out is how it takes journaling to a level that is nurturing yet practical . Each entry you make contributes to your digital garden. This means you begin maintaining a streak to grow virtual plants. These then flourish with your consistent reflections or journal entries. The app offers thoughtful prompts like “What area of your life you want to grow?”, “What brought you joy today?” , and “what are you grateful for today?” that gently guide you toward healing.
I appreciate how Storia lets you create multiple journals with custom titles and covers. Therefore, my grief journal sits alongside my transition journal and my hiking log, each with its own purpose and tone. The “talk to journal” recording feature has been particularly helpful on days when typing feels too demanding but the words need to come out. Or I’m simply too busy to stop and type out my journals.
For a free app, Storia offers remarkable customization options. You can choose different themes, colors, and even journal covers that match your mood or personality. Even allowing you to choose your own photos as covers as I did with my hiking journal. You can add photos to journal entries though I haven’t played wi this much so I am unaware of any specific limits. This is really cool because it doesn’t feel like a clinical tool but rather a companion on the journey.
The Call We Can’t Return
Grief teaches us about the finality of missed opportunities. While apps like Storia help us process these feelings, they can’t bring back the calls we didn’t answer or the conversations we’ll never have. Though they can help us feel closure and peace by getting the words out or processing the feelings we wouldn’t have known we needed to.
If you still have the chance to pick up when your mom calls, consider it a gift. Definitely one that many of us would give anything to have again. Remember that sometimes the most profound act of self-care is caring for the relationships we still have, while we still have them.
The next time your phone rings and her name appears on the screen, remember: some of us would trade anything for that moment you might be taking for granted.
