WPSU Grief

Grief doesn’t live only in our thoughts.
It lives in our senses.

For many people, food becomes a powerful way to stay connected to someone who has died. The meal they always made. The recipe written in their handwriting. The dish you only ate together.

Cooking, eating, or even remembering these foods can bring comfort, closeness, and sometimes a wave of longing. All of it belongs.

There’s no right or wrong way to do this.
You don’t have to make it a tradition.
You don’t have to share it with anyone else.

But if you want to, we’d love to know:

What food or meal helps you feel connected to your person?

When you are showing up and supporting your grieving person, be careful not to interpret a smile, laugh, or some other indication of happiness as a sign that their grief is “done.” It’s not. Try to make it safe for them by recognizing that the joy can be part of the grief experience.

Grief isn’t a straight line. There are all kinds of ups and downs. From the time of day to the time of year, grief changes constantly.

For more insight on grief: speakinggrief.org/get-better-at-grief/understanding-grief/grief-is

Speaking Grief is produced by WPSU with philanthropic support from the New York Life Foundation.