“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 careful navigation around that emptiness. Grieving parents learn to live alongside the hole in their hearts. The hole is constant, a presence as real as the person who is gone. Many find themselves unexpectedly falling into that void, especially when night arrives. Darkness often brings memories and longing with sharper edges. Sleepless nights become a silent struggle to hold onto fragments of love and life once shared.
Living with such loss means learning to move through a world that has changed shape. Familiar places echo with absence. Objects once filled with laughter now feel like silent reminders. Parents walk cautiously, trying not to stumble into the emptiness that clings to everyday moments. The hole remains a constant companion, yet love also remains. That love becomes a bridge across the void. A parent’s heart stretches to hold both pain and memory. Living with grief means holding space for both loss and love to coexist.
Finding ways to live in the space left behind can feel impossible at first. Small steps toward acceptance are courageous acts. Each moment spent honoring the child’s memory builds resilience. Connection with others who understand that hole can offer healing. Sharing stories of love and loss makes the void less lonely. The hole may never fully close, but love’s imprint endures. Grief does not erase a life lived; grief confirms the depth of love given.
Thought for today: Allow yourself to feel the hole without fear. Love remains where absence lives.