Honoring My Beloved Cousin, Sparkle 💛

Can I share my heart with you all today?

My beloved cousin, Charkeita “Sparkle” Hall, unexpectedly passed away, and even though we hadn’t been close in years, this loss has cracked open a very tender place inside me. Sparkle wasn’t just any cousin, she was my favorite cousin, the one who shaped so much of my childhood and teenage years in ways I’ll never forget.

As an only child who grew up in church 24/7, summers with Sparkle felt like stepping into another world, a world full of freedom, fun, and first tastes of independence. At her house, we could cook almost anything we wanted: burgers, chicken patties, noodles, and whatever treasures we could find from the old Murray’s freezer. We’d raid her closet full of the latest fashions — pieces she sometimes passed down to me like little gifts of big-sister magic. Her neighborhood friends became my summer friends, and together we’d sneak and talk to boys — something I absolutely wasn’t allowed to do at home, but we did anyway and laughed until our stomachs hurt.

Some of my sweetest teenage memories were made with her, and even though our adult lives took us in different directions, she always held a soft, permanent place in my heart. She always will.

And now… she’s gone.

As many of you know, the holiday season already hits differently for me after losing my mom in October of 2018. I carry a quiet anxiety each year — wondering who won’t make it to the next holiday season. It’s a dark thought, but I’m transparent with you because I know I’m not the only one who feels that way. Grief rewires the way you see the world. And now, the cousin who lit up my childhood summers is no longer here.

This weekend, I released a podcast episode talking about this very feeling — the ache of entering the holidays with loss coloring everything, and the strange fear that comes with it. But as always, I offered a glimmer of hope too, because even in grief, hope still finds a way to rise.

If you have a few minutes, I hope you’ll listen to the episode — it’s just 3–5 minutes, perfect for women on the go who are grieving quietly while still showing up for life. And if you’ve ever felt that same ache, that same fear, that same longing… I want you to know you’re not alone.

Even in loss, love remains. Even in sorrow, memories shine. And even in the hardest seasons, we can still hold onto the warmth of the people who shaped us — the ones who gave us reasons to laugh, rebel a little, dream bigger, or feel seen.

This message is dedicated to Sparkle , my favorite cousin, my childhood sidekick, and a light I will always carry with me.

Thank you for letting me share my heart today.

Kinyatta