Day 58: Friendship & Grief
A revelation I have had in my work is that I would be out of a job if we all lived in a supportive community that enacted familiar grief rituals so that we could feel witnessed in our pain and loved (and not feared) in our suffering.
Deep friendship is one of the closest things we have to this. Just as there is grief balm in those moments of joy, friendship can be the healing salve for the pain of grief. Friendship doesn’t take away the pain, yet it can make it a bit softer.
When I say friendship, I am talking about those friends who can show up. Who can brave seeing you in the depths of what you are going through. Who call around to set up appointments for you, or order you food, or bring by groceries, or sit next to you quietly as you ugly sob and wipe snot on your sleeve. These are friends who bring a loving presence and we feel known by. And there is power in being seen, not just in your grief, but by a friend who can hold the knowing that you’re still in there, despite all the pain and suffering. That they know your core. And remember things about you that you may have forgotten about yourself. Thank you to my dear friends who have always been so present. @gowhillikers@bbrookens40@joybullagher@evcha@migliasa@carringtonl@giantasscinnamonroll@wng77@dezibee3@emilyh35@megan.hatch.1@klofberg@kmontleon@emiliewyrick@dcluvbug@lingjesslee@curacounselingllc@bishopbeckman@paulxrutz
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