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M.J. Thompson
Disjointed Time | Diary of a Grieving Mother
A year has passed, but my mind still lives inside those final days. As the first anniversary of Aidan's accident arrives, the calendar and my memories refuse to agree—and I'm struggling to understand how something that feels like yesterday can possibly have happened a year ago.
Mary-Jo Thompson
15 hours ago4 min read
What Grief Has Really Taught Me | Diary of a Grieving Mother
A simple question at my son's graveside made me realize grief hasn't really taught me lessons. Instead, it has revealed truths about love, time, trauma, family, and motherhood that I never could have discovered any other way.
Mary-Jo Thompson
2 days ago5 min read
Me vs. the Fitted Sheet | Diary of a Grieving Mother
Anyone who's struggled with insomnia knows the nightly battle: snoring dogs, fitted sheets that refuse to stay put, hot flashes, racing thoughts. And sometimes, it's about the one memory you're trying hardest not to think about.
Mary-Jo Thompson
Aug 24 min read
Just Give Me One More Storm | Diary of a Grieving Mother
Some storms leave destruction. Others leave memories that last a lifetime. A former Air Force meteorologist reflects on Hurricane Katrina, rebuilding from nothing, and the thunderstorms that became some of her favorite moments with her two boys.
Mary-Jo Thompson
Jul 255 min read
The Time Loop | Diary of a Grieving Mother
Helping my mom recover after surgery brought back memories I never expected. I thought grief had stolen the future I'd imagined with Aidan. Instead, I discovered we'd already lived a small piece of it together.
Mary-Jo Thompson
Jul 125 min read
The Song I Couldn't Sing | Diary of a Grieving Mother
Months after writing some of the hardest words of my life in the middle of a cemetery, I heard them sung back to me for the very first time. Sometimes grief doesn't become lighter—it simply finds a different voice.
Mary-Jo Thompson
Jul 34 min read
A World My Heart Never Wanted | Diary of a Grieving Mother
After a lifetime of creating what I call "learning opportunities" for myself, I thought I understood pain. Then I lost my son and discovered that some injuries don't heal the way broken bones do.
Mary-Jo Thompson
Jun 264 min read
The Men Who Stayed | Diary of a Grieving Mother
Father's Day looks different after losing a child. This reflection honors the fathers who stayed, the love that shaped a family, and the future Aidan never had the chance to live.
Mary-Jo Thompson
Jun 215 min read
The Backbone of Denial | Diary of a Grieving Mother
Returning to work reminded me of something I never understood before losing my son: human beings aren't built to comprehend the loss of a child until it becomes their reality. Almost forty-two weeks later, I still don't fully believe Aidan is gone. Maybe denial isn't a stage of grief after all.
Mary-Jo Thompson
Jun 124 min read
Writing Through The Wreckage | Diary of a Grieving Mother
Looking back, I see the pattern. Every major trauma in my life led me back to writing. But after losing my son, even words abandoned me—until one morning, they found their way back.
Mary-Jo Thompson
May 294 min read
Poisoned | Diary of a Grieving Mother
In this honest and unexpectedly funny entry from Diary of a Grieving Mother - grief, gardening, and chemical lettuce collide.
Mary-Jo Thompson
May 223 min read
A Story of Connection—On and Off the Page
"Every mark carries a memory." This was supposed to be a moment of celebration. The release of the Prisoner Trilogy in hardback—with the addition of the Secret Chapters —has been a long time coming. These stories have lived with me for years, growing slowly into something much larger than I ever expected. And yet, this moment carries something else alongside it. A quiet weight. In the Prisoner Series, eight young women are connected in ways they don’t fully understand—feelin
Mary-Jo Thompson
Apr 132 min read
Real Life...
Everyday is a new day to reinvent yourself... today, I'm a plumber!
Mary-Jo Thompson
Aug 12, 20253 min read
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