National Grief Awareness Day

On grief awareness day, what might grievers want you to know about them?

1. Grief is a universal response to loss. If we live long enough, we all experience some kind of grief at some point in our lives. Grief is normal. Let me say that again: grief is normal. We grieve because we love. “Where there is grief, there is love” (David Kessler).

2. There is no one right or normal way to grieve. The way we express it is quite individual. The healthiest way to grieve is to share it, to not stuff it down or ignore it, so please allow us the space to share our grief even if it might make you uncomfortable. And please give us time; there is no timeline on grief. In fact, because grief is love, grief can last for a lifetime. It will change and we will learn how to live with it better, but in many cases, it will always be with us.

3. Grief feels really isolating, but at the same time, we really need you even if we can’t express that need. We need you to check in on us. We need you to remember our loved one. We need you to ask about our loved one by name even if it makes us cry. The most healing thing a person can do to help a griever is to witness their grief, sitting with them in it. You truly don’t need any words to say except “I’m here.” And if you can, please share with us some sweet stories about our loved one or encourage us to share a story with you when we are ready.

Grief can seem quite intimidating to the outsider. We totally get that. It is overwhelming to us, too. We appreciate all your efforts to support us as we walk through the unimaginable. Thank you for your bravery to walk this journey with us.