Red Bird Blog

Red Bird Blog

Family and Friends Ashley Leger Family and Friends Ashley Leger

What grieving does to your body?

It's hard to believe that a person can go through so much pain and still keep on living. But that's what grief does to you: it makes you stronger, even if only in small ways. Grief hurts your body as well as your mind, though. If you're going through something similar, here are some common side effects of grief on the body:

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Families of Child Loss Elizabeth Leon Families of Child Loss Elizabeth Leon

Being Kind to Yourself in Grief.

One of the hardest things about grief is that it makes me so hard on myself. For the first several weeks after my son died, I relished that there were no expectations on me or my feelings, from myself or anyone else. I was devastated and broken and the whole world around me knew it. Everyone accepted that I could not cook meals or drive my kids around or put a coherent sentence together.

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Families of Child Loss Ashley Leger Families of Child Loss Ashley Leger

How to Cope with Loneliness.

One of the most painful parts of grief is loneliness. No matter how many people are in our lives, missing our son makes the whole world seem empty. No one can replace our son. Even if we have another child, we will still miss Cayse. This is why grief lasts, and in some way loneliness, too, for the rest of our lives. Accepting this loneliness is part of who we are. I think of my loneliness of my son as a way of keeping a space for him. It is a way of honoring the love we had.

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Family and Friends Ashley Leger Family and Friends Ashley Leger

Worst things to say to someone grieving.

Grief is a complicated, often confusing emotion. It can take over your life and make you feel like yourself in ways that are both heartbreaking and beautiful. It's normal to mourn the passing of someone you love—but it's also normal for people who aren't grieving themselves to be confused about what to say or do around those who are. Here are some things not to say if you're trying not to upset someone whose loved ones have passed away:

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Family and Friends Ashley Leger Family and Friends Ashley Leger

Love Endures Forever

"Love endures forever."

This beautiful quote is carved on the wall of a chapel at the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton was an American saint and the first native-born citizen of the United States to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. She was also a wife and mother who was once widowed with five surviving children. One of those surviving children, Anna Maria, died soon after her mother's death. Before her own untimely death, Anna Maria had written to her sister: "We are but travelers here; let us help each other on our journey."

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