Somewhere between desert mornings, long hikes, and quiet evenings outside the trailer, I found myself sitting with a thought I had avoided saying out loud for a long time: I think everything happens for a reason. Even writing those words feels risky in grief spaces. I understand why so many grieving people struggle with that phrase. When spoken carelessly, it can make devastating loss feel reduced to a lesson instead of something sacred and unbearable. I know what it feels like to hear explanations when what you need is presence. And I would never want to do that. The truth is, when I say everything happens for a reason, I don’t mean that every tragedy has a purpose or that every loss can be explained. I don’t know why Lily died. I never will. What I mean is that I believe there is meaning woven through our lives, even when we can’t see it. I believe our experiences shape us in ways we often don’t understand until much later. And sometimes what initially feels senseless reveals somethi...
I’m Elizabeth Candy—a mother, writer, and seeker. Life After Lil was born from the ache of losing my daughter, Lily, in 2022. I write to honor her light and create space for grief, healing, and truth. My work has been featured in The Keepthings, Motherwell and Tiny Buddha.
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