We recently observed Mental Health Day, a reminder that caring for our emotional well-being is as important as taking care of our physical bodies. Mental health self-care includes taking time to process difficult experiences and grieve when we need to. In the middle of work, parenting and everyday responsibilities, it can be easy to put those feelings aside. Giving them attention is part of caring for ourselves.
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, a time to remember babies who have died and acknowledge the families who carry their loss. If you have experienced this loss, your grief deserves care, whether it happened recently or years ago. Give yourself permission to remember, talk, seek support or keep some moments private. There is no set timetable for grief. A meaningful date, a family gathering or an unexpected reminder may bring feelings to the surface long after others assume the hardest days have passed.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, also observed in October, remind us of the many challenges families may be facing or may have lived through. Some are navigating a diagnosis, treatment or the uncertainty of what comes next. Others are rebuilding a sense of safety after abuse or mourning someone they love. Each experience is different, but each deserves compassion and support.
Grief can involve more than the death of a loved one. People may also grieve changes in their health, the end of a relationship or the loss of the future they had imagined. We may not know what someone else is carrying, even when they appear to be managing well.
Processing grief can begin with acknowledging what hurts and allowing yourself to feel it without judgment. You might talk with someone you trust, write down your thoughts or find comfort in prayer or a meaningful act of remembrance. There is no requirement to find the right words or make sense of everything at once.
Take small steps and care for your everyday needs. Make time for meals, rest and connection, and accept practical help when it is offered. Allow moments of enjoyment alongside sadness; laughing with a friend or enjoying an afternoon with your children does not diminish your loss. A counselor or support group can offer help as you work through your experience. You do not have to wait until you feel overwhelmed to reach out.
When someone you love is grieving, a simple “I’m here, and I’m thinking of you” can open the door to connection. Listen without trying to explain the loss or find a silver lining. Offer a meal, remember meaningful dates and keep checking in. A specific offer like “Can I bring dinner on Thursday?”can be easier to respond to than a general invitation to ask for help.
Above all, leave room for the person to share as much or as little as they want. Your presence can offer comfort when words feel inadequate. Taking time to care for ourselves and one another makes space for grief to be acknowledged and support to be received.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18
