The online loss community is huge. Right now, if you asked me to, I could give you the names of at least 100 bereaved parents I have met online. And those, are just the ones I’m close to.
Although social media can be wrought with triggers, many of us choose to grieve online. Participating in the online loss community is an effective way to find support and it can be done from the comfort of your couch. There are online magazines, charitable foundations, and support groups for those experiencing any variety of pregnancy loss, infant loss, child loss, or infertility. A network of countless resources available to access from anywhere and at anytime is invaluable.
The online loss community also makes it easy for us to share our stories. Some of us have blogs where we write about our experiences or Etsy shops where we share our creative healing. I have become linked to hundreds of other loss parents who use their social media accounts to share meaningful quotes or photos of their beautiful babies. While we are still making ourselves vulnerable, in many ways it’s easier to put ourselves out there when we can do so with the “push of a button.”
Which brings me to my next point. If someone you love has lost a child and they share something on social media pertaining to their grief, it is so easy to show your support.
Just go ahead and “like” it.
That’s all you have to do. By hitting like, or leaving a comment, or sharing their posts about loss you are saying “I have seen this and it matters to me because YOU matter to me.”
Because here’s the thing: we know you’re on social media. We see your activity and we notice when you like our non-grief related posts (you know, the ones where we’re happy) and you skip over the ones that pertain to our loss. Sometimes, when we see that, it hurts. It feels like that part of us is not worth a “push of a button” and we know that’s not true.
So, just go ahead and “like” it. Share it, tweet it, double tap it. Whatever your platform, it’s such an easy way to show your support to the ones you love and the community who loves them.
Photo by William Iven on Unsplash
Mucho gusto poder leer sobre todos los que tratamos de callar. Gracias por ser nuestra voz interior y por sacarnos del hueco.
We lost our 25 year old daughter Lianne 4 weeks ago, 10 weeks after the diagnosis , she suffered NUT Midline Carcinoma,