@Aalia 2 November 2022 more from that month

Most of us don’t know how to interact with a grieving person unless we’ve experienced grief ourselves. I have absolutely been the person floundering and unsure of what to say. I have been the person who avoided bringing up the grief in fears of ruining things if they “were having a good day.” Grief is hard, and most people won’t know what to do. This will cause some to say the wrong thing. This will cause others to say nothing at all. To those who are walking alongside the grieving: you don’t need the right words. Words won’t fix this, but your presence will be a comfort. Your presence is what matters: to bear witness to their pain, to make them feel seen in this space. There’s a chance you won’t say the right thing, and I know that is scary, but I hope you have the courage to show up anyway, to try anyway, to be there anyway. To those who are grieving: people are going to show up imperfectly, but please let them in anyway. It takes so much courage to allow people to bear witness to your loss. They may not be able to fully understand, but I hope you give them the chance to sit beside you anyway. 🙏🏻❤️ Grief is uncharted terrain that we learn as we go. There is grace for the grieving. There is grace for those walking alongside the grieving. But, one thing is certain: grief is a lonely journey, and we desperately need each other. For those who are grieving: what are some of the ways people have walked alongside you that have been the most helpful? 🙏🏻💙 May we do our best to show up for one another, to sit beside one another with eyes full of empathy.