“In a friendship you get to know the spirit of another person; and your values coincide. A friend will stand for you when you are no longer able.” — Maya Angelou
Grief tests every relationship. Some people disappear. Others stand closer than we expected. A true friend does not try to fix grief. A true friend stays present when words fail. The death of a child shakes everything. The pain feels too big to carry. When grief pulls us under, one steady voice can remind us we are not alone. A good friend does not require explanations. A good friend listens without judgment. The quiet presence of someone who understands can be more comforting than any advice.
Grieving parents often feel like they are losing themselves. Days can blur. Thoughts become heavy. Hope feels distant. Friends who remain through this darkness are a rare gift. The people who reach out without needing answers show real love. A friend who remembers anniversaries, who speaks our child’s name, gives us oxygen. Those moments remind us that love still surrounds us. Those gestures say our pain is seen. Our child is remembered. The bond we shared mattered—and still does.
Not everyone can hold space for grief. Many people feel awkward around sorrow. That distance can feel like rejection. But grief reveals the true depth of friendship. Real friends are not afraid of tears. Real friends do not flinch at raw emotion. One friend standing with us gives strength we didn’t know we had. In time, we may become that friend for someone else. Pain opens our hearts to others. Loss teaches us how to love more honestly.
Thought for today: Honor the friend who stayed. Let their strength remind you that love still lives, even in sorrow.