My guest this week is Alicia Strunk, a New Hampshire native, now residing in Ireland.   Full disclosure- Alicia is my assistant and has supported me in the production of this podcast for the better part of the past year.    During this past year, Alicia’s pregnancy was a common topic of our discussions.   We delighted in talking about the journey of pregnancy, motherhood, and all that it calls forth for a woman.   It was impossible not to share her excitement around the coming birth.    However, at 39 weeks into her pregnancy and expecting to give birth at any moment, Alicia she got the news that her first born was going to be a stillbirth.   To lose her baby at full term was not only an unexpected and shocking turn of events, it surfaced some very deep and existential questions that Alicia and her husband had to address.  What happened?  What went wrong?  Why did this happen?   In a shocking scenario from which it would seem impossible to find anything to be grateful for, Alicia dives deep to share the gifts came to light through this tragedy.    In her experience of processing this loss, Alicia found beauty in grieving and learned that pain does not have to lead to suffering.  She learned that her capacity to love was far deeper than she imagined.  She learned that it not only takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to mourn the loss of one, and that one can leave a legacy without even taking a breath.    While the subject is sensitive and involves grief and loss, I think you’ll be uplifted and inspired by the way Alicia, her husband Johnny, their families, and their community have been present to the fullness of this experience and how they’ve grown from it.    As we recorded this episode, it had only been a month, to the day, that Alicia and her husband lost their baby.  Yet she was clear and grounded as she talked.  Her heart has been opened by this experience and she has awakened at a whole new level.    While this journey is, on the surface, about the end of something, it is also about the promise of a new beginning.  Tune in and learn what that new beginning might be.   **************************************************** What's Going On in The New Beyond:  Available for purchase:   Judith’s best selling book- Beyond the Box:  Lean Out, Break Free, Rise Up!    Musings and Meditations Legacy Audio Series- 9 meditations based on my writing, set to music  Get your FREE copy of my Seasons of A Life video Please take our survey and help us learn how to serve you better:  Use the link below to give us feedback on the podcast:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfFZwdbrR90-bmMaVjxwQeIIEd6wrXb2L4exk8Tkn8eiqvbtg/viewform  Want to work with Judith? Contact her at: Judith’s email:  [email protected]  Join our Facebook Group: Living in The New Beyond  Our original theme music: “Each of Us”, was written and performed by Ken Ashby, and produced by Gopal Metro of Metro Studios.   Connect with Ken at:  www.prosodycreativeservices.com Gopal’s email:         [email protected]  Please take a moment and share this podcast with others, leave a review and follow us on Apple, Spotify and other podcast platforms.  It does make a difference and I really appreciate your support!             --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thenewbeyond/message