“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places.” — Ernest Hemingway
Grief breaks something inside that never goes back to the way it was. For parents who have lost a child, the break feels absolute. The rupture changes everything—every thought, every season, every breath. People around us may hope we will “get better,” but grieving parents know the truth. Life does not return to normal. Life reshapes itself around the fracture. The pain may soften over time, but the break remains. That break becomes part of who we are now. Strength is not the same as healing. Strength is what allows us to stand, even when we are still broken.
Many parents find that grief rewrites their values. After great loss, the things that once seemed important often fall away. Noise becomes unbearable. Small talk feels foreign. Grieving parents often crave honesty, connection, and meaning. Pain teaches us to see through the surface of things. People who walk through grief develop a deep sensitivity to others in pain. The broken places inside us start to recognize the broken places in others. Strength is not about pushing through. Strength is about showing up as we are. A scar is not weakness—it is survival.
Strength built in grief comes quietly. Grieving parents may not even recognize it at first. Waking up becomes an act of courage. Crying in front of someone becomes an act of love. Speaking about our child becomes an act of memory. Holding space for others becomes an act of grace. Every small act rooted in love builds strength at the broken place. The break will always exist. But the strength that grows around it becomes the light that leads others home.
Thought for today: Honor the break inside you. Strength is not the absence of pain, but the presence of love in its wake.