It has been a tough two years. First my mother in law and my dear aunt who both treated me as a son were niftar within 6 months of each other. Then my mom ZL who I had a difficult relationship with especially as an adolescent when I became a BT was niftar almost a year ago-I am not exaggerating when I say that I felt the Petirah of my father ZL who was my sounding board and court of appeals as an adolescent and my mother in law and aunt ZL in a very acute way and my memories and hesped for my mom ZL was different than that of my siblings. I went back to work a month after the onset of the pandemic but work can be boring especially with our sector of the economy still not functioning except on a remote basis.
Of course, I said a hesped, sat shivah , and fulfilled the Halachos and Minhagim of Aveilus and have many memories of my mother ZL, and despite our differences, I miss her acutely as I do my mother in law and aunt ZL. Then in the same week after the hakamas hamatzevah for both my mom and my aunt ZL which were on the same day in the same Beis Olam but my siblings insisted on a separate set of remarks by me, one of my closest friends was niftar at a young age, leaving an almanah and two children who had jsut completed their first year in learning in EY at yeshiva and seminary. I can't recall when I cried so hard at a levaya and served as a pallbearer.
I think that I have learned that it is best in life to look forward as opposed to improperly bearing grudges and remembering the bad aspects of family life, especially as I have a wonderful Eshes Chayil, great children , SILS who are like sons , beautiful eineklach, and amazing friends. Everything else in life is icing on the cake.