Grief

Grief.

It comes with a myriad of emotions.

Some get through it fairly easily, and others struggle with it for quite some time.

There are those unfortunates who never recover from it.

Grief has been defined as the normal response to a major loss, such as the death of a loved one.

Grief may also be felt by a person with a serious, long-term illness or with a terminal illness.

It may include feelings of great sadness, anger, guilt, and despair.

There are five stages of grief. They are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Sometimes it’s difficult to determine what stage of grief a person is in.

We want to reach out and comfort.

We want to help.

What do you say to a person who is grieving?

There is no easy answer to this.

There is no script.

According to a survey of grievers, the number one suggestion for what to say to someone who is grieving is some variation of the statement “I’m here for you.”

I share this to remind us to be kind.

Be kind to our neighbors, our co-workers, and friends, when they are grieving.

Remember, you don’t need to say the right thing at the right moment.

In fact, you really don’t need to say anything at all.

You just need to be there.

See you out there.