Essence Blog

What Andrea Gibson’s poetry had me reflect on.

inner critic mindfulness personal growth self-compassion Jul 24, 2025

Last week, Andrea Gibson, a beloved and powerful truth-teller and poet, passed away. They were born the same year I was and died just shy of their 50th birthday.

Andrea left this world with all of their people gathered around in love. Their wife, Meg Falley, shared that Andrea’s last words were: “I loved my fucking life.”

So simple. So profound. To live and die with that much love and gratitude despite all the pain. It felt like a reminder. And a bit of hope.

I’ve been reading Andrea’s ...