“You have to grieve her as your friend too”.
I froze a bit, as I sat with my niece Nicole a few months ago to record podcast episode # on the topic of Mother’s Day without Mom. She spoke those words, and I thought how profound.
During our chat, she shared how her therapist said she grieved her mom as her mom but now she must also grieve her as a friend. Because her mom (my sister) was also her best friend.
And we chatted, we talked about how this was true for me as well.
I grieve my sister as a sister, but she was also my best friend too. So, I must grieve that aspect of the loss.
Like whoa. Have you thought about this as you are walking through your grief journey?
I didn’t intend to have a therapy session with my niece that day, but it was an incitement moment that led to more healing.
Because most people will look from the outside and say, oh your sister died, or your mom died.
But it’s so much more than that…
When they died, it could be, that a friendship died also.
It could be that your security died.
Your financial assistance.
And even your identity.
Among what is considered a major loss are also multifaceted mini losses and they must be grieved as well.
Now perhaps, you have not considered the variant mini losses you’ve faced because of another loss. So today, as you begin to remember or even recognized those losses, I pray God will comfort your heart, and I pray His peace will rest on you and within you. As you continue to navigate the many facets of your grief journey. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Sitting with you,
Natasha
Listen to the full episode here or wherever you stream.
For a gentle companion in grief, get my book Can You Just Sit With Me? Healthy Grieving for the Losses of Life here.
