Staying curious while supporting a griever seems like a good practice. How we grieve is unique to each of us and so are the ways we want to communicate and receive support.

This is the second of three Grief Awareness Month essays about communicating through grief.

I've come to believe that most of us don't struggle with how we explain what happened. We struggle to find words for who we're becoming because of what happened.

This is the first of three Grief Awareness Month essays about communicating through grief.

I showed up ready, but still wondering whether I was the right person for the job. I left remembering that my role isn't to have experienced every kind of loss. It's to create spaces where people can bring theirs.

That moment taught me something I would spend years learning over and over again: grief and love can and often do occupy the same space. I could mourn what dementia had taken while still appreciating the joy and connection available when staying in the present moment.