M.J. Thompson

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.

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.

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.