How to Help a Grieving Friend on Mother's Day
Mother's Day after you've lost a child or your mother is excruciatingly painful. Whether you've miscarried, had a child pass away, said goodbye to your mother, or are experiencing infertility, it can feel like the holiday was specifically designed to remind you of your pain.
I will never forget the first Mother's Day after I miscarried – it was impossible to avoid the barrage of advertisements for brunches and jewelry and gifts. Each one was designed to celebrate moms. And each one reminded me that I no longer belonged to the club.
Now, many years later, I wish I had acknowledged myself as a mom that year. Because even though I had miscarried, I had still experienced motherhood. I still counted. Being left out, overlooked, and excluded only exacerbated my pain.
A few years later, a few of my very close friends lost their moms. It was hard for me to know what to do in that moment, especially since I have not yet experienced the loss of a parent. But, even though I didn't have the perfect words to use, I still reached out, told them how sorry I was, and acknowledged their loss on Mother's Day.
Truly, the key to good grief support can be summed up in one word – acknowledgement. You don't have to know exactly what to do, but you do have to do or say something. Feeling acknowledged makes a really big difference. And oftentimes, a simple card or gift can make all the difference. Which is why we have curated two different Mother's Day collections designed to commemorate women who are grieving at Mother's Day. Let's not forget each other.
xoxo,Johanna
