We’re hurting, exhausted to the soles of our feet because she’s grieving. We’re not hurting because it’s our experience. It’s her lonely path to walk. We stand by useless, offering words, our hands, our hearts. But it’s hopeless.

But she’s grieving outloud. She’s gut wrenching, heart rending, soul tearing, screaming, sobbing at the sky, to the dirt and to those who are listening.

There’s no words to describe the sounds coming from her mouth. There’s no words that can describe her tear soaked face, the horrible sorrow in her eyes. This drags us down to the depths of her indescribable sorrow.

She wants us to know. She wants to unburden, crying out. But she can’t, though she tries, it’s just too painful. We can’t save her from this agony.

The present is too much to bear. The loss too profound. She wants to tell us her beautiful, terrible memories to comfort herself but the stories only bring with it, heartache… sorrow is too gentle of a word. This is worse than anything.

I light candles for her. But nothing I do will help. I answer her back. I tell her that I hold her in my heart. I tell her that I care and that I’m crying, too. But what good are my words. They fall leaden, heavy around her and blanket the ground… of no help at all.

This sorrow she will carry forever. She is changed and every breath will hurt for a long, long time. All of the plans that were laid are splintered, crushed. And anger walks with sorrow. She can’t help but to ask, “why”?

She beats the air with her fists. She strikes out at strangers, friends, family. She says, “don’t talk to me. I have nothing to say”, when our hearts are swollen with unspoken words. It’s all we have to offer. We have to step back, hurting for her, silently begging her, “be brave”, as the abyss of grief threatens.

But this is a loss beyond words.

PS~ I can still hear Grandma saying, “We shouldn’t have to bury our children”. But bury them, we do.