For a lot of people who have suffered the loss of a loved one, the most difficult times of the year come around the holidays.
Giving thanks in November and opening presents in December feels a little more hollow when absence becomes their defining feature.
For me, though, I’ve found this short stretch in mid-June to be the roughest since my dad, Rick, died 18 months ago unexpectedly at the age of 56. It encompasses his birthday and Father’s Day, which most years fall just about a week apart and which meant most years were a week-long celebration of dad.