117. Grief From an Image of What Could Have Been | He's 5 Now
Episode 117 •
14th July 2026 • By Chance Avenue • Elizabeth Tiglao-Guss
00:00:0000:10:51
Shownotes
Host Elizabeth Tiglao-Guss shares how an “On This Day” phone memory resurfaced photos and videos from five years ago of the six-month-old baby she and Victor were supposed to adopt, noting it may be triggering. Seeing the baby’s face sparked tenderness and curiosity about how he is now, but a photo of Victor laughing while holding him hit hardest, highlighting what Victor lost and her desire to have seen him as a dad. After exchanging brief texts and getting Victor’s consent to post a back-view image, Victor later admitted the post made him emotional. Elizabeth reflects that life is good now, yet grief can appear unexpectedly and doesn’t move in a straight line; healing doesn’t mean grief stops, but that you can feel it without being consumed, and being caught off guard doesn’t mean you’re back at square one.
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