Written by Abigail Briggs, LMSW Bereavement Coordinator

“Her absence is like the sky, spread over everything.” ― C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Today is National Grief Awareness Day. For those of us living with deep grief, this awareness is not a date on a calendar—it is in every moment of our lives. We are already intimately aware of our pain like a stitch in our side or the thumping of a dull headache.

As author C.S. Lewis so truthfully states in his book A Grief Observed, “her absence is like the sky, spread over everything.”

Grief not something that we can possibly “get over”. It wraps around us like a heavy blanket we did not put on– but carry every day as the world keeps inexplicably turning around us.

Today, it is vital that we pause to recognize those living with profound loss and grief. Whether it has been a week or a year, the ache of missing someone does not follow a linear timeline.

If you know someone who is grieving, let this be the day you reach out. Check in on your friends, colleagues, neighbors, or family members who have lost someone. Make sure you listen with an open heart and let them know I remember you, I care, I see your pain, and I am here for you.

If you are in grief, register for one of our grief support groups, check out our Telephone of the Wind, loan a book from our Grief Support Loaning Library on our campus, or check out the recommended article below,

Remember that you do not have to walk this journey alone and we are here to support you through this grief journey. All our grief services are free and open to the whole community even if you did not have a loved one on our Palliative or Hospice services.

Please call 208-772-7994 or email griefsupport@honi.org with any questions and/or to register for upcoming grief support services.

https://www.centerforloss.com/2023/12/mourners-bill-rights/