When we commit to “for better or for worse,” we hope “till death do us part” won’t arrive until decades later. No one wants to face the unimaginable tragedy of losing the love of their life.
Learning how to balance grief with self-love is critical for the widowed as they adjust to their new normal. “Death will make you see things differently,” says Daveia Odoi, reflecting on how her perspective shifted after her husband, Edmund, died.
Odoi is an illustrator and the brilliant mind behind The DynaSmiles, offering one-of-a-kind stationery, clothing, and gifts. The inspirational art instills happiness and has gone viral for its quirky and uplifting depictions of Black joy.
“Black Love” docu-series alum Tabitha Brown recently gushed over the Christmas sweatshirt and highlighted the business on her YouTube series, “Very Good Mondays.” Odoi worked in corporate America for 10 years while offering custom designs on the side until Edmund encouraged her to commodify her artwork full-time. Launched in 2009, Odoi’s venture steadily flourished, evolving from bridal shower invites to a full line of items.
In the fall of 2019, they received the grim news of Edmund’s diagnosis with Stage 4 stomach cancer. “He came home from work one day not feeling well, and he took half a day — that’s not like him,” she recalls. “It was over the summer. He was the type of person who always worked and for him to take a day off, I knew in that moment, something was wrong. I had no idea it was cancer.” She continues, “We’ve been through some serious times together. So when this happened, I just remember hearing the news and never in a million years thought him passing away was the outcome. I felt like it was very surreal. I felt like I was watching a TV show. It never felt like it was my life. Numbing is another word I would use. Very numbing.”
READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE: www.BlackLove.com