And get 4 in-depth workshops for 4 of life's biggest decisions

Pre-order a copy of my new book

A $400 value FREE when you pre-order Create A Life You Love.

motherhood

Do I want to be a mom? And if so, when should we start trying?

home

Where do I want to live?

marriage

Are they "the one" & are we ready for marriage?

career

What are my next career steps?

the Everything Era Survival Kit

4 in-depth workshops for 4 of life's biggest decisions

pre-order today!

The Lipstick Gospel

Blueberries and Cannonballs: a toast to my cousin

I'm Stephanie May Wilson!

I'm an author and podcaster and my specialty is helping women navigate big decisions, life transitions — creating lives they love.

hey there

The beginning of the story

get a copy

Get my new book!

Girls Night Podcast

Navigating big decisions & life transitions — one girls night at a time!

TOp categories

The Gift Shop

Matching shirts and meaningful gifts for best friends.

Books & Courses

Books, courses, workbooks, and guides to help you create a life you love.

Create A Life You Love: Comes out on April 30th!

It's fair to say that I don't handle sadness well. I'm bowled over by it and then once the tears subside for a moment, I want out.


I don't really want to talk about it, I definitely don't want to think about it, I just want to get away—somewhere where the world doesn't feel so scary and so wildly out of my control.


As I boarded the plane this weekend, I knew that it wasn't going to be easy.


But there was no way to be prepared for what met me on the other side.


I wasn't prepared to see my cousin's face—young and still charming, his skin a lifeless grey.


I wasn't prepared for the fact that he'd simultaneously look like he was about to sit up and make a joke, and like everything that made him HIM had left—his body just an empty shell.


I wasn't prepared to talk about it—to hear exactly what happened on the way back down that mountain—how our family scrounged for mud and moss, coating him with it, trying to cool his overheated body down.


I wasn't prepared to watch my grandfather—the tallest, toughest man I know—cry.


I wanted to run away, if I'm being completely honest. I wanted to avoid this weekend, cry on my own, and then do my best to focus on happier things. But that wasn't the way it was going to go, and as we left the funeral and headed to the burial site, I realized that there was no way around this horrific tragedy—only a way through.

The Lipstick Gospel 3


That night our family gathered for dinner at a small Italian place in D.C. We were exhausted and tear stained, and still in various stages of shock. But we gathered anyway—resigning ourselves to heaping plates of Italian food, the table dotted with carafes of wine.


And the strange thing is that it actually helped.


I've read beautifully woven words about the power of the table—but I don't know if I ever really experienced it until that night.

The Lipstick Gospel 1


I love gathering for meals, I really do, but I hadn't ever been a part of a gathering that was so desperately needed. I didn't know what that kind of coming together was capable of.


But over that table, passing bites and anecdotes back and forth, the world began to feel the tiniest bit better. In the warmth of our family—sitting close, our arms bumping as we dug into our plates of pasta—it felt like we really weren't alone, that fact warming our insides washed down with a twisty bite of fettuccini.

The Lipstick Gospel 2


We laughed a little and toasted to Chris—telling stories of how much he loved blueberries and jumping in the lake in New Hampshire. We laughed about him him barreling down the mountain on skis, or a bike, or on foot—realizing, in a quiet moment, that the way he lived was also the way he died—and he wouldn't have had it any other way.


In his 30 years on earth, Chris LIVED. He did everything full-force, from the way he loved his wife, to the way he dove into his optics research job. He loved his family with gusto—tossing his little cousins into the lake over and over and over again and lighting fires in the fireplace so we could toast marshmallows (even) on a hot summer day.

The Lipstick Gospel 8


And so in response to an untimely and tragic death like this, that's all we can do in response.


We have to live.


We don't know how long we have on this earth. We don't know when an innocent hike will turn tragic, or when a “goodbye, see you later,” will turn into much longer than we ever could have known.


And this is enough to make me want to stock up on canned goods and buy a panic room on my credit card.


But that's not the best response.


The best response is to hug, just a little bit longer. To realize that this time, work can wait—that seeing family is worth the price of that plane ticket. It's sitting around a warm, candlelit table and trading stories, and it's about eating just one more bright, juicy blueberry.

The Lipstick Gospel 7


It really is, as cliché as it sounds, living each day as if it's our last. Because it really might be. We don't know how many we have left, and I don't want to waste a single one.


And so for you Chris… I'm eating lots and lots of blueberries, and I'm going to jump in the lake first chance I get.


Will you pray with me for my family? – For Chris's family and his beautiful wife Stephanie as we mourn this loss? 

+ show Comments

- Hide Comments

add a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Pat S. says:

    Beautiful! Thank you for sharing. Praying for your family.

  2. froggymella says:

    May God wrap His comforting arms around you and your family. Praying, Love Froggy X x

  3. HollyD says:

    Sending prayers and love to you and your family. This was beautifully written about what sounds like someone who was a wonderful person.

  4. Janelle says:

    Thank you for writing this, Stephanie. I am encouraged by your bravery and resolve to LIVE. Will be praying for you and your family as you go through this time of reflection and healing.

  5. “The best response is to hug, just a little bit longer. To realize that this time, work can wait—that seeing family is worth the price of that plane ticket. It’s sitting around a warm, candlelit table and trading stories, and it’s about eating just one more bright, juicy blueberry.”

    Although I’m a fairly new reader, it’s easy to see that you make even the most mundane day-to-day-life stuff sound enchanting. However, reading this- something that matters so much, such a big, bold, important statement for anyone (and everyone) to hear, is truly beautiful. My heart hurts for your family’s loss. I can’t imagine losing my 30 year old cousin/one of my best friends. Praying for you and your family.

  6. Andi says:

    Your cousin Chris sounds like quite the inspiration and I teared up reading your toast to him just now at work. What a beautiful tribute to his joy-filled and life-filled years on earth. Thank you for sharing and I will most definitely be praying!

    “I don’t want to waste a single one.” Me either. Love this.

  7. andreateggart says:

    Your cousin sounds like a beautiful soul and this was an amazing tribute to his joy-filled and life-filled years on earth. I’ll definitely be thinking and praying for you and your family during this difficult time.

    “I don’t want to waste a single one.” Me either. Thank you for sharing.

  8. Erika says:

    My condolences, Stephanie.

Sign up for my newsletter and get weekly emails with stories, resources, updates (and discounts!) you won't find anywhere else. 

Get on the list,
and never miss a thing!

    Let's be friends!