First you have to say goodbye

A deeply moving awakening, written in poetry and prose.In the quiet unravelling of a 20-year marriage, Florence Thum found herself confronting not only the loss of a relationship but the dismantling of a lifelong identity: the good girl, the dutiful daughter, the devoted wife, the successful professional. This is not a tale of bitterness or blame. It is a journey through grief, cultural expectations, self-doubt, and ultimately, transformation.With honesty and lyrical grace, Florence reflects on what it means to live a life shaped by external validation-and what it takes to find your way back to yourself.A companion for anyone standing at a crossroads, this book offers solace and strength in the knowledge that saying goodbye is often the first step to coming home.