---
title: "Have I Finished Mourning Or Just Accepted It?"
id: "12249"
type: "post"
slug: "have-i-finished-mourning-or-just-accepted-it"
published_at: "2026-07-05T18:13:34+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-07-12T21:43:18+00:00"
url: "https://sethgoldstein.me/have-i-finished-mourning-or-just-accepted-it/"
markdown_url: "https://sethgoldstein.me/have-i-finished-mourning-or-just-accepted-it.md"
excerpt: "My thoughts on Bret's passing and how I'm in the acceptance stage."
taxonomy_category:
  - "Family"
taxonomy_post_tag:
  - "Bret"
  - "Bret Brachman-Goldstein"
  - "Brother"
  - "Death"
  - "family"
  - "Sadness"
---

[Family](https://sethgoldstein.me/family/)

# Have I Finished Mourning Or Just Accepted It?

![Image](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/776e9f93cb72a6ef49cc303f0f3a5843419a07f0043cb23d64f49db44c56aeba?s=48&r=g)

Seth Goldstein

·

July 5, 2026

Sol 4201

![A stunning close-up of vibrant pink rain lilies in full bloom under natural daylight.](https://sethgoldstein.me/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/pexels-photo-7953786-7953786-scaled.jpg)

My younger brother, Bret, died tragically hiking in Colorado early last month. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long. I’ve been through all the stages of grief, but now I think I’ve settled on the acceptance stage.

It could be because my wife is recovering from surgery and I’m in charge of so much around the house. It could also be that I’m just in the acceptance stage and that’s okay.

I still think about him every morning when I wake up and realize that he’s no longer here. But it’s more like a realization than a sob or anything.

You know the elephant on my shoulders giving me a back rub? It’s gone too. I guess distractions help.

Does this mean that I won’t get hit with grief again about Bret dying? No. I’m sure I’ll be sad and crying at his celebration of life get together later this month.

I guess time lessens all sadness. 🤷🏻‍♂️

**Update 7/12/2026:** *Yea, well it hit me again. I just had to concentrate on other things in my life for a few weeks. Now that things have died down the realization that Bret died hit me. Not like a ton of bricks, but got me down and sad. In 2 weeks we have the East Coast celebration of life for him. That’ll give me some much needed closure. I think what hits me the hardest is that we weren’t extremely close, and I feel like I could have tried harder. Bah! Oh well. Lot’s of “what ifs” will always be there.*

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 5 likes

[Bret](https://sethgoldstein.me/tag/bret/)
, [Bret Brachman-Goldstein](https://sethgoldstein.me/tag/bret-brachman-goldstein/)
, [Brother](https://sethgoldstein.me/tag/brother/)
, [Death](https://sethgoldstein.me/tag/death/)
, [family](https://sethgoldstein.me/tag/family/)
, [Sadness](https://sethgoldstein.me/tag/sadness/)