Erika Kirk shared an emotional update on her and her children’s struggles navigating life without her husband and their father, Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in Utah this past September. In a now-viral post to Instagram, which received nearly half a million likes, Erika Kirk discussed the void that will always be felt but said she was leaning on her faith to guide her family int he wake of such a tragic loss.
The lengthy message was accompanied by a single image of a pair of shoes, one belonging to a child and the other belonging to their late father. “Life is a little different,” the post began, acknowledging the sad reality of what occurred, though Kirk noted she still has physical memories of her husband everywhere in the house. Like the shoes, she said there are still socks on the floor and vitamins on the counter. Anything to keep Charlie’s memory alive.
The comments start off with an ellipsis, emphasizing the thoughts and feelings still grappling with Kirk’s slaying. “…life is a little different. it’s this rhythm of maintaining our traditions mixed in with creating new ones to harmonize into a normalcy for the babies. It’s new, but strange. Familiar, but not.
Referencing the keepsakes and memories, she described the familiar mess that might have bothered her were he still alive but now are the remaining vestiges of a relationship that will never be realized again. “I’ve kept everything in the home still the same after these several months, your socks still on the floor, your shoes by the door, your vitamins everywhere on the counter. That’s how it’ll stay. I don’t say that because I need one more thing for this world to judge me on, quite frankly they’re already at capacity and none of it shakes me. Their words, accusations, assumptions, and slander don’t land, they don’t burn. Never will. I owe the world nothing.”
She continued: “So, I say that because when the world acts like the world, I’m not surprised, I see those left behind pieces of yours as a subtle love note from Heaven saying ‘this is why I married you.’ and I can’t help but smile knowing you are too. I also say that because I hope it encourages another wife to love their husband so deeply despite minor moments during the holiday season of ‘gosh marriage is tough.’”
“When your heart is set on letting your love story be one of deep devotion and self-sacrifice instead of self-serving, the Lord will use your marriage in ways completely hard to explain. I know that because I felt that, I still feel that. And I pray you always do too.”
“So yes. This Christmas we tucked away. And while the world, again, kept being the world, I loved settling into a space of continued healing where silence is golden and is a statement in itself. The outpouring from our loved ones, has been a sacred and holy balm to our hearts.”
“Again, life is different now, and to be honest at times painful. But God is still so good. Merry Christmas Charlie baby. Thank you for your love notes from Heaven. I cherish them all,” the emotional post concluded.