Everyone’s journey of grief is different, as individual and unique as person experiencing it. However, what I feel is universal is our need to have that loss witnessed and expressed within the support of community and family.
My own journey with deep loss began at the end of my husband’s battle with cancer. For a decade, I had lived with the kind of floating grief that often accompanies a life threatening illness. Yet still, when he died, I felt cracked open. I was not prepared for how to navigate the depth of my loss while also attempting to care of myself and young daughter. It has taken time, the generosity from those willing to stand close by, and the respite of soft landing places wherever I could find them. Still, I am learning how to honor and integrate loss. As mother, I continue to learn how to honor childhood loss.
The content found in these pages reflects some of what I am have learned and observed thus far. So I have relied on grief allies – friends, counselors and even strangers who have gently shined light on a path I didn’t know I could find. In that way, we learn from each other. I hope that the advice here will offer tools to ease your journey or give you ideas for how to ease someone else’s.