Hey there Reader,
Love, Loss and Tumbler Ridge.
A couple of days ago was Valentine’s Day.
I know it can feel commercial and overdone. Flowers. Chocolates. Cards. All of it pushed hard. And while I don’t want to focus only on romantic love, the idea behind the day is not a bad one. Giving and receiving love is never a bad thing.
I am in a loving marriage and I enjoy the day. But it has changed for us over the years. It is quieter now. More steady. Less about big gestures and more about being together. Genuine care. Humour. A meaningful, funny gift that says, I see you. I know you. I love you. That means more to me now than anything flashy ever could.
The hard part of Valentine's Day
And I also understand that Valentine’s Day can hurt.
If you are single, widowed, recently separated, or missing someone deeply, it can bring up loneliness and loss. There can be an ache that sits right under the surface. Sometimes what is needed most on that day is not romance, but remembrance. Or simply someone reaching out and saying, I am thinking of you.
Love is not limited to one kind of relationship.
It can look like girlfriends gathering for dinner. It can look like a text to a neighbour. It can look like sitting with someone and letting them talk about the person they lost. It can look like taking the edge off a hard day.
The Heartbreak of Tumbler Ridge
All of this feels even heavier in light of what happened in Tumbler Ridge. Our province, our country and the world was shaken by the tragedy in Tumbler Ridge.
A small northern community of about 2400 people. A school shooting. Lives taken, others injured and a whole town in shock. So many people impacted in ways we cannot even fully see yet.
In my years in victim services, I saw how trauma moves through a community. It does not just touch one family. It ripples. Classmates, teachers, parents, families, neighbours, first responders and colleagues of mine in victim services. The impact is wide and deep.
There are no words that make sense of something like that.
What struck me as I watched the vigil was not only the heartbreak, but the unity. Leaders from across political lines. The Prime Minister, the Premier, opposition leaders. Travelling together. Standing together. Speaking not as politicians first, but as mothers and fathers.
That mattered. There was something deeply moving about that.
In a time when division often feels loud and constant, there was unity. Not because the pain was small, but because it was so great. They were not there as parties or positions. They were there as human beings, and we could all feel that.
That is love too. We are still in the early days of that grief.
It reminded me that even in the face of cruelty and horror, love shows up. Compassion shows up. People reach out, communities gather and the larger community wraps around the smaller one.
Love does not erase what happened. It does not take away anger or pain. But it is part of how we carry it. It can help us heal. It is part of how we prevent the harm from defining the rest of our lives.
In my past work in victim services I saw this over and over. The worst things can happen. And still, people show up for each other. That collective care matters. It is trauma informed without anyone having to use that language. It is simply human.
February is often called the month of love. And here we are, holding both Valentine’s Day and deep collective grief at the same time.
Maybe that is the point.
Love is not soft or simple. It is strong. It is steady. It is what helps us get through.
If you are in the middle of a life transition right now, feeling alone, doubting yourself, wondering what is next, I want you to gently ask yourself this question.
"Where is love available to me right now?"
"Am I open to it?"
Sometimes when we feel lonely, we pull in tighter. We isolate. We tell ourselves no one understands. And that just deepens the despair. I know this is not easy. But even one small opening can change things. One coffee. One phone call. One honest conversation.
And if you are someone who feels supported right now, who has love around you, do not underestimate the power you have to be that connection for someone else.
A simple message.
A shared laugh.
A small act of kindness.
It matters.
As The Beatles sang, “All you need is love.” It sounds simple. Maybe even too simple. But at its core, it is true. Most of us want to love and to be loved. To feel seen. To feel cared for.
So here is my invitation for you this week:
- Reach out to one person who might need a little extra care.
- And reach out to one person who brings lightness into your life.
Let yourself receive as well as give.
If you are struggling in a transition, if you feel stuck or isolated, that is exactly the kind of work we do together. You do not have to navigate change alone. Support changes everything.
Life can be hard. It takes things from us. It surprises us. It asks us to grow when we do not feel ready.
But love, steady and imperfect and human, is still available.
And we all get to choose it.
.
Looking Ahead
The spring is on the horizon and I am taking things in stride looking at how I want my year to unfold. Don't worry if you are feeling behind, we all have a different timeline and great things are still possible. Be willing to explore.
✨ Radical Clarity Session
Stuck or unsure about next steps? 90–120 minute intensives uncover priorities, clear obstacles, and create a clear, doable path forward. Send me a message.
1:1 Coaching opportunities exist.
Stay Connected
I’d love to hear from you about what has brought you value and what you would like to see more of in this newsletter " My Next Chapter".
So send me a message here if you want to share something with me directly :
marianne@mariannepreston.com
My Next Chapter Newsletter
If this newsletter resonates please share it with someone else who would benefit from it. My greatest goal for this newsletter/blog is that it brings some hope and vitality into the lives of those ready to step into a greater sense of who they are and what is possible for them.
Subscribe for updates and receive a free guide: The 7 Steps to Banishing Burnout