Connection Is Wellness: The Legacy My Mother Left Me

Wellness isn’t only about what we eat, drink, or put on our bodies.It’s also about who we stay connected to.

I learned that truth in a way I never wanted to.

My mother passed away from small cell lung cancer, a diagnosis that followed her battle with breast cancer. Watching someone you love walk through illness changes you. It shifts how you see time. It rearranges your priorities. It teaches you—quickly—that connection is not optional. It’s essential.

Tomorrow is my mother’s birthday.

And if I’m honest, that’s sitting heavy on my heart.

I miss being able to pick up the phone, call her, and sing Happy Birthday—in my own quirky way, smiling, knowing she’d laugh and say, “Thank you!…” I miss that simple moment more than words can explain. I know she is in heaven, whole and free, but her absence is still felt.

Especially now.

There are moments when grief doesn’t roar—it whispers. It shows up in dates on a calendar. In songs. In habits that no longer have a place to land.

During her illness, so many of the things we worry about in everyday life simply fell away. What mattered was presence. Conversation. Sitting together when words weren’t enough. Hugging her. Making sure nothing meaningful was left unsaid.

There were moments when all the things we worry about day to day simply disappeared.

What mattered was presence. Conversation. Laughter when we could find it. Sitting quietly when words weren’t enough. Hugging each other. Saying the things you don’t want to leave unsaid.

And here’s the part people don’t talk about enough:

Connection is wellness for both people.

When you stay connected—to your mother, your sister, your friend, your spouse, your people—you aren’t just giving love. You’re nourishing yourself too. Your nervous system softens. Your heart steadies. Your body feels safer. Your soul feels seen.

Disconnection, on the other hand, quietly wears us down. Unspoken tension. Distance we pretend doesn’t matter. Time we assume we’ll “make up later.” But later isn’t guaranteed.

Presence is.

Even now, with my mother no longer physically here, her life continues to speak. Her care for others. Her strength. Her way of showing up. That legacy is woven into everything I do—including the vision and mission of HIS Organics®.

This brand was never just about products. It’s about care. It’s about slowing down. It’s about creating moments—over a cup of tea, during a quiet ritual, in intentional rest—where connection can happen again.

Connection to your body.

Connection to your people.

Connection to what truly matters.

If you’re reading this and someone comes to mind—call them. Sit with them. Forgive if you can. Say the thing. Laugh longer. Stay a little more present. That is wellness. For you. And for them.

My mother’s life reminds me every day: What we leave behind isn’t just what we build—it’s how deeply we loved while we were here.

And that kind of wellness lasts far beyond a lifetime.

DeNise