In this episode of Between Two Worlds, Floby opens her heart during a deeply personal and emotional reflection on the unexpected passing of her father three weeks ago. Speaking straight from her grief, she shares the painful reality of carrying a profound loss while living thousands of miles away from home as an immigrant, navigating the weight of distance, missed moments, and emotional overload.
Floby explores the traditional stages of grief, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance and introduces what she discovered to be the crucial “sixth stage”: healing. Through raw vulnerability, she reflects on the importance of reaching out for professional and emotional support, receiving love from her family and community, and honoring her father’s legacy not by remaining in sorrow, but by choosing to live fully with grace, hope, and purpose.
In this episode, we talk about:
* Grieving Across Oceans: The unique and heavy weight of immigrant grief, where loss is compounded by distance, missed goodbyes, and being far away from family when they need each other most.
* Navigating the 5 Stages of Grief: Floby opens up about her personal journey through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance following her papa’s unexpected passing.
* The “Sixth Stage”: Why strength doesn’t mean carrying everything alone, and how leaning on a spouse, loved ones, friends, and professional support (like clinical therapy) is essential to processing deep sorrow.
* Joy as a Celebration, Not a Betrayal: Understanding that smiling, laughing, and finding light with our children and families isn’t forgetting those we lost. it’s honoring the life and love they left behind.
* Carrying Legacy with Hope: How accepting loss allows us to move forward one day at a time, protecting our peace and carrying our loved ones’ values into the next chapter.
Key Quotes:
* “Healing isn’t forgetting. It isn’t moving on. But it is learning to carry grief with grace while continuing to live with purpose.”
* “I know if he were here, he wouldn’t want grief to be the end of my story. He would want healing to be the beginning of my next chapter.”
Challenge for the Week:
If you are carrying a heavy load, grieving a loss, or feeling overwhelmed by life’s demands this week, allow yourself to ask for and accept help. Reach out to a trusted friend, a professional, or a loved one. Remind yourself that accepting support is not a sign of weakness—it is the first step toward healing.
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