What is your grief story? How have you been acquainted with grief? Did you lose someone you love? Did a relationship end? Do you look in the mirror and grieve who you once were? Are you grieving racial injustice? Are you grieving senseless deaths that should not have happened? What is your journey with grief?
Today, if it’s not too painful, I want you to walk us through your grief journey.
My journey with grief started when my step-father passed away unexpectedly in 2008. I had no idea what to do with my grief so I ignored it and felt like I had no right to grieve his death. I wasn’t his biological daughter, and he wasn’t my biological father. I was told by someone I trusted that he was “just like a friend” so I shouldn’t be so upset about his death. For years I sat in this grief alone. In 2015, I experienced the stillbirth of my son Josiah at 20 weeks. Following that I’ve experienced 6 more miscarriages within the second trimester. I’ve been well acquainted with grief for 12 years now. I have learned over these years that my grief is valid; that I am allowed to grieve the loss of my step-father, and I am allowed to grieve the loss of my babies I never got to meet.
Have you been told that your grief isn’t valid? That you shouldn’t be feeling the way you are? I want you to know that you have every right to grieve, no matter what the grief is.
Today’s Mantra: “My grief is valid. I am allowed to grieve”
Today’s Writing Prompt: What is your grief story? Write out your journey with grief.
Today’s Action: Write out your story and share it with someone close to you. If you are comfortable, share your journey in your IG stories.
*Don’t forget to tag me at the end of the day in your stories and let me know how today’s challenge went.