The One Thing NEVER to say to someone who is Grieving.

In the summer of 2024, my mother passed away after a brief illness. Her death came as a shock to our family, and for days after, I was numb while racked with feelings of guilt, sadness, anger, and overwhelm. I set an intention to deal with the grief around her death. I did not want to be one of those people who stuffed their grief down and wanted to get back to normal as soon as possible because I knew that would cause more problems down the line as grief manifested itself in other ways.

Two weeks after my mother’s death, I joined a virtual grief support group. I recommend grief support groups to anyone who has lost a loved one and needs a safe place to process all of the complicated emotions that come with death. People in these support groups know what you’re going through, and you’re free to cry, release emotions, and talk through one of the worst times of your life.

However there is a phrase and sentiment that makes my blood boil when on the rare occasion someone has the audacity to say it to me or when someone in the grief support group shares that someone said it to them.

“You need to move on”.

Excuse me? Move on? I have never been on this Earth without my mother. I was blessed to have my mother for over 40 years and in an instant she was gone. I have only been able to…