I almost didn’t send out a blog this week, but then I reflected on it and decided to follow one of my life principles—to share my authentic self with you.

I know that many of you follow me for my ‘before’ and ‘after’ home transformations to gain inspiration for creating heart in your home, and this sad news relates to that feeling of heart in the home.

Two weeks ago, my dear sweet grandma of 82 years passed away from COVID. It was such a shock to my family to hear that she had passed away because it had only been five days since she was diagnosed with COVID.

What comforts my family is being told that her passing was quick and she didn’t suffer.

In that same week, I just so happened to take a spirituality class where most of the focus was about our soul and what happens after passing on.

One of the main takeaways from that class was that when someone passes, it shouldn’t be a sad thing because it’s their time to return to God Almighty.

I leaned into this message.

We know that our time on earth is temporary—but being such emotional and social creatures, we can’t help but feel such immense sadness and loss when someone we love leaves us. I feel such sadness for my grandma’s untimely passing. And I ache for her three children, my mom, my aunt, and my uncle, who are now without their mother.

There is no age when a child will no longer need their mother.

Moms and grandmas are so special—words cannot express. I wish it didn’t take so much time and life experience to appreciate how much they have done for you.

I can pinpoint when my appreciation for my mom shifted immensely.

It was after my elder son, Rohan, was born that I saw my mom as a completely different person—It was a landslide, in an instant, I understood all her sacrifices for my siblings and me as a stay-at-home mom, then a working mom, torn between a career and caring for children and keeping a household. All to provide a better life for us.

I saw the grace in being a mom I had never understood before.

Last week, I thought about my mom and how much she misses having her mom around to celebrate the special moments and the moments that are quiet and simple but are important nonetheless, like staying up all night and admiring beautiful Indian saris from their shopping trips or catching up with aunts and uncles over dinner.

As we approach Mother’s Day, I am the most heartbroken for my mom, aunt, and uncle.

My grandma’s passing made me reflect on the legacy she leaves behind. My family’s roots come from India, and here I am, an American living the life of my ancestors’ wildest dreams.

My dad was recruited from India in the 70s to come to America to work as a cardiologist. All the family I had in America were my mom, dad, brother, and sister.

It wasn’t my first family trip to my parents’ home in India that I realized I come from many places.

I was born in Philadelphia, but come from India.

I come from my grandma and my grandpa, I come from America, I come from my studies, my passions, and so much more.

Being with my granny gave me such a sense of fulfillment in learning my heritage.

So, as I think of my grandma, I think of what a wonderful mother figure she was to me.

I know that many families are going through losing a loved one—experiencing the shock of loss in such an unprecedented time, and my heart goes out to you.

While you can certainly create a beautiful home with items and learn interior design practices, the real heart and beauty in a home come from the people and the memories you create. I love that I was able to share my home with my granny. I’ll never forget the beautiful moments of her chasing after Rohan as a small baby on our rug in the family room, her cooking, or just her quiet presence.

Thank you so much for reading this and allowing me to share this experience with you today. I’ll be thinking warmly of my grandma this Mother’s Day, as well as cherishing my time with my own mama just a little bit more this year.

And for those of you who have also experienced a loss in the family, I am also thinking of you and your families. I pray and hope that the loss of our loved ones leads their souls to find peace.

Thank you again. Your support, as always, means so much to me. We’ll be back to our regular blogging schedule next week.

With love,

Amitha