“When we talk about grief people think it’s the death of a loved one and it’s not just that – that’s bereavement. Grief is the loss of anything with which you have an emotional connection. It could be your health, a relationship, a dream, your self-confidence, or something else.”
And yes, grief can also be part of losing someone you love. It is there when you recognize that the plans you thought you had with this person are gone. Shelley mentions after her father died that she realized he would not be there to walk her down the aisle when she got married. Or to meet his grandchildren.
When we open up our definition of grief, we can see that we are all grieving something. That is part of the human condition. It’s awkward, and it is beautiful. We do not need to hide it, we need to normalize it.
The truth is that each day, we might be letting go of a plan, a dream, an idea. It might be about meeting a friend for lunch, it might be around losing a job, or perhaps you woke up ill.
At any given time each of us is grieving something.
