“Through Her Eyes” with Lilly Ribner
Lilly Ribner was diagnosed at 37 with Stage I, Triple Negative breast cancer. She is a stay-at-home mother of two young children.
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Through Her Eyes
Three generations stand in one moment.
A mother whose memory is fading.
A daughter facing her own breast cancer diagnosis.
And a little girl sweeping curls from the ground after her mother shaves her head.
In Through Her Eyes, Lilly Ribner writes from the middle place — where caregiving, motherhood, illness, and grief collapse time and bring past, present, and future into focus all at once.
Diagnosed at 37 with Stage I, Triple Negative breast cancer, Lilly is also navigating her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and the daily work of staying present for her children. What emerges is not resolution, but something quieter and more honest: connection, reflection, and being seen.
“While cancer is a terrible disease that tested me to my core, it is also the gift that offered me the opportunity to come together multi-generationally, to connect, to love deeply, and to heal and crack open my heart.”
This essay doesn’t rush grief or soften its edges. It holds deep love alongside deep loss — and reminds us how identity and legacy are shaped in the moments we least expect.
Writing Prompt Inspired by Today’s Episode
Set your timer for eight minutes, write without stopping or editing yourself. There is magic in leaning into that time. The prompt is:
Through their eyes…
In today's story, Lilly wrote about seeing herself reflected in both her daughter's and her mother's eyes. In that moment of being seen across generations, she discovers an unexpected strength and clarity.
I invite you to write about a moment when you saw yourself through someone else's eyes. What was reflected back to you? What did you learn or reclaim about yourself in that moment?
If you find that you write best with a good prompt, check out our free prompts and learn about our writing workshops.
Happy writing! Until next time, take good care.
Episode Links
Read a transcript of this episode.
Purchase the “Mothers & Daughters” issue of Wildfire Journal.
More about our episode sponsor After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD).
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