Confessions - TBT: Why I Haven't Posted

You might not have noticed - I didn't pay much attention until recently - but I don't post for #throwbackthursday or #tbt as it's affectionately come to be known. I love it when others do. It's charming and nostalgic and often silly.

It's not that I've ever felt obligated to participate, which is maybe why I hadn't thought much about the reasons I've abstained.

The reason is that so many of my fond memories contained my brother - most of the #tbt posts that I love most are of siblings, in fact - and it's a lot for me, even almost four years after his passing, to pick out a photo of the three of us. The nonexistence of photos in that four year window is jarring, even though of course it is and has been reality, and then I realize that in years prior to that there are fewer photos than I would like to see because I didn't see him and because he didn't want his picture taken as much as I now think we should have.

The three of us at the Detroit Zoo Arctic Ring of Life exhibit making handprints in the ice wall. Definitely in my awkward adolescence window of photo-taking (feel like that probably ended, I don't know, last year). I'm in the light blue for those who can't tell me apart from my sister.

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness month. I've already reposted my heartfelt, no punches pulled thoughts on suicide prevention in this post,  and the "suicide" label up top can get you to more commentary. But here's the #tbt version:

When you look at a photo with a loved one, imagine their face missing. Imagine their voice silenced from that story, imagine their warmth missing from the hug at the end. That's what it is to have lost a loved one to a preventable suicide. That's what it will be for many more people if we don't change our policies, change our lives, change our culture. I love your photos and the stories that go with them, and I love seeing your family pride. Keep posting - post more if you haven't been.

But also vote more, think more, advocate more, hug more, laugh more, collaborate more, read more.

And if you see me on a Thursday, maybe give me an extra hug.