There are words we say casually which are meant to be words of gratitude like “Thank God I’m alive” that carry weight we don’t always realize. For someone living through grief, these same words can sting deeply.
Imagine hearing that while your heart is still raw from loss. Not because you don’t appreciate life but because the very person who made life brighter is no longer here. The joy others speak of feels distant and even empty. You are alive, yes but you are living with a hole where someone once stood.
Grief doesn’t always speak the same language as gratitude. It doesn’t deny thankfulness but it demands space to mourn. It sees the beauty in being alive but also feels the ache of knowing someone else isn’t. When others speak joyfully about life, it can feel like a quiet reminder of who is missing.
It’s hard to explain this until you have walked through it. And maybe you haven’t yet. Maybe these words feel too heavy and too emotional. But one day they may not. One day you might understand in a way you wish you never had to.
This isn’t said to guilt anyone but it’s just the honesty of loss. So if someone ever tells you that a simple phrase hurt them. Please pause and listen. It might be their way of saying: I’m trying to live. But today, grief is louder than gratitude.
And to you who isn’t you anymore, May you always receive the strength, grace and understanding you need to carry you through especially on the days when grief whispers louder than joy.
TUHAME ❤️
