Grief can leave the door open long after visitors arrive. Carla reflects on loss, vulnerability and the painful difference between people who come to care and those who come to take.

*She waited her turn, careful not to bring the room down, while silence filled every empty chair.* An open letter about gratitude and grief—and what happens when we make our pain easier for everyone else to bear. I was told to be grateful because things could have been worse. They were right: things could have been worse. But gratitude did not make what happened acceptable. Sometimes it simply helped me swallow the scream. When my son died, I needed somewhere to take my grief

Racial trauma is often carried quietly. This reflection explores how racism affects mental health in Canada and why healing requires culturally grounded care, community and truth.