Most of us think grief begins after the funeral—after the goodbye and the last breath. But for many people, grief begins the moment a diagnosis redraws the map of their life, when the future they planned is suddenly no longer guaranteed. This is anticipatory grief—the real, complicated, often invisible grief that arrives before the loss.

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This is the basis of the book I am writing with my best friend, Staci Fox, who is living with stage four non-smoker's lung cancer. Told with raw vulnerability, professional insights, and a healthy dose of well-placed gallows humor, this book brings readers inside the emotional paradox of loving someone who is still here—hugging them, laughing with them, making memories—while also grieving what is coming. I draw on my experience as a licensed professional counselor to name what so many people endure in silence. Staci shares her story with honesty and grit—the medical maze, the importance of self-advocacy, the losses both large and small, and the fierce determination to “find meaning” even when the ground keeps shifting beneath her feet. With reflective questions, journaling prompts, and grounding exercises, this book offers both companionship and practical support for anyone living under the shadow of an impending goodbye.