Bob Cristello

“There were thirst and hunger, and you were the fruit. There were grief and the ruins, and you were the miracle.” — Pablo Neruda Grief often feels like a landscape of ruins. A parent’s heart knows the depth of that brokenness. The absence of a child can leave an ache that no words can soothe. … Read more

“I cannot live with You— It would be Life— And Life is over there— Behind the Shelf.” — Emily Dickinson The absence of a child creates a divide unlike any other. Life before loss feels distant, as if placed behind a shelf. Many grieving parents live in a space between two worlds. The world they … Read more

“When things become truly difficult and unbearable, we find ourselves in a place already very close to its transformation.” — Rainer Maria Rilke Grief often feels like a weight pressing down without relief. The loss of a child shatters life’s foundation in ways words cannot capture. Many grieving parents reach moments where pain feels too … Read more

“It is in the affliction itself that the mercy of God shines—in the depths, at the center of our inconsolable grief.” — Simone Weil Grief can feel endless and without relief. The loss of a child leaves a wound that no time fully closes. Many parents wrestle with sorrow that feels raw and relentless. In … Read more

“You loved me—then what right had you to leave me?” — Emily Brontë Grief often brings questions without answers. When a child dies, parents face a silence that feels like betrayal. The heart struggles to understand why someone so deeply loved must be gone. Many grieving parents wrestle with feelings of abandonment and confusion. The … Read more

“So he tasted the deep pain that is reserved only for the strong, just as he had tasted for a little while the deep happiness.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald Grieving parents carry a kind of strength few understand. The depth of sorrow often feels unbearable. Pain settles deep inside, where only the strongest can endure … Read more

“Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night. I miss you like hell.” — Edna St. Vincent Millay The absence of a child leaves a hollow space that no words can fill. Every day becomes a … Read more

“I tell you, hopeless grief is passionless; That only men incredulous of despair, Half-taught in anguish, through the midnight air Beat upward to God’s throne in loud access.” — Elizabeth Barrett Browning Hopeless grief can feel numb and empty. The absence of passion may lead to a hollow silence inside. Many grieving parents experience moments … Read more

“Guilt is perhaps the most painful companion to death.” — Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Grieving parents often carry guilt alongside their sorrow. The loss of a child can awaken questions that never leave. Many parents wonder if something they did or didn’t do caused the loss. The weight of regret presses heavily on the heart. Guilt hides … Read more

“Tears are the silent language of grief.” — Voltaire Grieving parents often find words inadequate to express their sorrow. The loss of a child can silence even the loudest voices. Tears become a language when speech fails. Crying does not always mean weakness. Tears are a profound form of communication, revealing pain too deep for … Read more