#poetsspeekup #normalizegrief

There is a time to be alone with our pain, but we can choose to move beyond our inward journey and reachout when we’re ready. This is something I've learned in my own experiences with grief. My recent loss of my grandfather was an echo of this.

Prior to losing my parents, I failed to understand the people who ALWAYS wanted pics. Now I'm both devastated & angry at myself for not having more pics of us three. I was so focused on capturing memories of my kids & parents that I didn't realize *I* was missing #griefjourney #normalizegrief

Why We're So Bad at Grieving — Griefology.co Our culture rushes grief, pressures us to move on, and avoids tough conversations about loss. This post explores why society struggles with grief and how we can do better.

Grief isn’t something you just “get over”—but society sure acts like it is. In the U.S., bereavement leave lasts days, not weeks. People stop checking in after a month. And eventually, you’re expected to “move on,” as if grief has an expiration date. #grief #normalizegrief

Meme: It's okay to grieve a future you thought you'd have.

You don't just grieve the loss of your loved one. You grieve the future you had imagined together, the memories you could have made, and an entire life that should have been. #grief #widow #thegriefspot #thegspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief

Imagine living with a scream inside you. And the scream is yours. And no one else hears it. That is grief.

#grief creates a visceral reactionary state within the mind & body of the individual. Surrendering them to internal & physical pain. Stifled in one's own echo chamber. It permeates the soul with carnage permanently altered by deafening sound. #widow #thegriefspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief

"Grief never leaves you, you just get better at hurting..." #widow #thegriefspot #thegspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief

Memory wall on either side of a window with photos and mementos of lost loved ones.

Detail of a chicken wire frame with photos clipped to it and a shelf with two framed photos and mementos of lost loved ones.

Detail of two shelves with framed photos and mementos of lost loved ones.

#MemoryWall: I came up with this idea back in August, and have been slowly working toward this point. It will continue to evolve, but this is its first iteration. Remembering Mom, Sean, Barbara, Uncle Don, Patrick, and my grandparents.

#NormalizeGrief

In English, we say: “You hurt me.”
But in poetry, we say:
“You planted thorns in my chest with hands I once trusted,
and now every breath feels like an apology I shouldn’t owe.” -Larson Langston #grief #widow #thegriefspot #thegspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief #poetry #writer #author

In English, we say: “I wish it were different.”
But in poetry, we say:
“I water the garden of could-have-beens with tears,
waiting for flowers that refuse to bloom.” - Larson Langston #grief #widow #thegriefspot #thegspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief #poetry #writer #author #writingcommunity

In English, we say: “I feel lost.”
But in poetry, we say:
“The compass of my heart spins wildly now,
its needle drawn to places it can no longer call home.”
#grief #widow #thegriefspot #thegspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief #poetry #writer #author

In English, we say: “I don’t know how to let go.”
But in poetry, we say:
“I carry you in my chest like a stone—
heavy, unyielding, and carved with the sharp edges of what once was.” - Larsen Langston #grief #widow #thegriefspot #thegspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief #poetry #writer #author

In English, we say: “I miss you.”
But in poetry, we say:
“I trace the shape of your absence in the spaces where your laughter used to linger,
and let the echoes of you fill the hollow hours.” - Larsen Langston #grief #widow #thegriefspot #thegspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief #poetry #writer

Grave marker at the cemetery where my Mom's ashes are buried. Her name is surrounded by tiny shells and a larger one on which I painted a poinsettia.

Closeup of the shell on which I painted a poinsettia.

Visited Mom today with a new tiny painting for her. #NormalizeGrief

Holidays can be hard if you're dealing with grief or loss. This year, my church, Community United Church of Christ (www.facebook.com/CommunityUCC...), is offering a "Longest Night Service" at 6 p.m. Sunday in Fresno. All are welcome. #NormalizeGrief

It is possible to love what was and love what is.
It is possible to build a new life while honoring an old.
Grief makes your heart bigger, deeper and stronger for what comes next if you let it. #grief #widow #thegriefspot #thegspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief

#grief #widow #thegriefspot #thegspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief

#grief #thegriefspot #thegspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief

At some point, we will all grieve someone or something. #grief #widow #thegriefspot #thegspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief

There's a deep silence that comes with losing a spouse. It doesn’t matter if you’re standing in the middle of a crowded room. In a room full of noise you will only notice the silence. The silence of your loss is deafening. #grief #widow #thegriefspot #thegspot #griefisadirtyword #normalizegrief

Let’s #normalizegrief including and with this account especially #siblingloss. So often grieving siblings are asked about other people’s #grief and not their own. #grieving siblings can feel alone and invalidated. Our organization exists to support grieving siblings and to educate others.