Heaven Holds the Spark That Lit Our Lives

Grief has a way of reshaping everything we thought we knew about love, life, and time. It’s not just sadness or absence, it’s learning to live with a piece of your heart missing, knowing it now lives somewhere you can’t reach. That’s what it feels like since Jahmya’s passing. A broken piece of my heart now rests in heaven.

I’ve come to understand that grief doesn’t mean life has stopped. It means I’m learning to live in a new way. It’s about carrying both love and loss with me in all that I do. Jahmya’s impact wasn’t defined by what she left behind physically but by how she lived, how deeply she loved, and how I can continue to carry that love forward. That part of her will never be lost. Her presence, her spirit, and her limitless love live on in those who loved her, especially her Dad, her Twin Brother, her Baby Sister, and me. As long as I continue to share her light with the world, she’ll always be with us.

I still remember the way her eyes would stretch wide with fear anytime an animal came near her, like the world itself paused just to protect her. There was one day, not long before she left us, when Mahi, the Child Life honorary therapy dog, walked into her hospital room. At first, it seemed like Mya didn’t even notice. But we all knew if she laid even one eye on that dog, it was over.

Sure enough, the moment she spotted Mahi, her eyes stretched so wide you’d think something serious had happened. And if looks could do damage, poor Mahi would’ve been in real trouble. That moment brought nothing but pure joy. It reminded us that no matter what she was going through or how things looked on the outside, Mya’s mind was still there. She was still her. And she was not, under any circumstances, dealing with any animals.

We all fell out laughing. The kind of laughter that shakes you and makes you cry at the same time. That’s the kind of light Mya brought, even to the most ordinary days.

She lives on in the people who loved her most. Her Dad, her Twin Brother, her Baby Sister, and I carry her in everything we do. We feel her in the quiet moments, the unexpected signs, the shared memories that bring tears and smiles all at once. Though she’s not here physically, her spirit continues to guide and comfort us.

This pain, this grief, is the price of love. A love that never ends. And so, as I move forward, I will keep finding ways to share her light with the world. To honor her joy. To speak her name. To carry her legacy.

A broken piece of my heart may be in heaven, but the love Jahmya gave me still lives here on earth. And I will carry it always.