In this episode Kara steps in with Sue Peters who found herself on a profound journey creating a new life and identity after the heartbreaking loss of her husband and best friend, John.  Sue shares inspiring perspectives and stories of certainty that convinced her she was never alone in this journey. The two explore how she moved from survival to wanting to be alive again. They share thoughts on difficult anniversary days, duality of emotions and finding ways to stay connected with someone you have lost. They highlight the depth of love that comes from processing grief of a loved one. If you have lost someone you love, you will find validation and hope in this episode.

Highlights: 

• John’s medical emergency was on their son’s wedding day, which meant their hospital stay was 3 hours from home and  to further complicate their journey, it was in the middle of Covid which changed the medical visitation and made it difficult to support one another because of the rules they had to strictly follow.  


• After he died, there was peace. The “spinning” stopped. There was relief even in the sadness.


• Sue shares the ways she found stillness and centered herself in the midst of this experience as well as her profound experiences with God through the journey. Moments of certainty that she was not alone. Synchronicities of nature. Giving her the realization that her life was not over


• Irony… Learning so much because he died and yet missing him all the more because he is the person I want to share it with more. 


• Unique way Sue created to celebrate and connect to her beloved in a different way on special days like their anniversary, his birthday. 


• At first when John died, she thought now her life would just be survival until she could be with him again. She just wanted to go be with him


• Sharing her story and the building of relationships and new connections is what brought her out of the deep hole.


• Finding her purpose at this point in her life after all the changes.

Quotes:

• “The more I am holding on to the “lasts”, it was torturing me. I am allowing myself to make space for new things to come in.  John was leading me.”


• “Nature helped a lot. I felt seen -  (in nature)God, universe, your loved ones see you.”


• “Gratitude is a huge part of it. I’ve been so grateful for each thing that comes my way. We are all able to receive them. No one is excluded… just a gift wrapped in a different package.”


• Connect with Sue:

• Website: http://www.susan-peters.com/


• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hearttosoullinks


• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sue7675923

Susan Peters is a writer, grief facilitator, mother, and grandmother from Indiana. She has been on a profound soul journey discovering her newfound identity and cultivating self-love after the heartbreaking loss of her husband and best friend, John. She is forging a path toward renewed life, authentic purpose, and genuine love by stepping forward to share her story to create profound connections with others facing loss and adversity. Susan aims to foster hope, understanding, and a fresh perspective of love, gratitude, and joy through the intertwining of our

sacred stories to build relationships as we learn to navigate the challenging road of life together. She is in the process of authoring her first book, The Miracle of Marrying My Heart: One Woman's Journey To Discovering New Dreams After Loss, which will be available in Spring 2024.

Connect with Kara:

• Website: ⁠https://www.steppinginwithkara.com


• Newsletter: ⁠https://www.karastoltenberg.com/subscribe⁠


• Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/steppinginwithkara⁠


• Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/karastoltenberg⁠
  

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