Jesus taught:

“Blessed are they that mourn.”
—Matthew 5:4

I know from experience that grief can be incapacitating, whether you’re mourning the death of a loved one or struggling with depression. Loss comes in all sorts of forms. Death might be the most obvious, but it’s not the most common.

Sometimes it feels like an “I’m sorry” is such an empty platitude when trying to reach out to someone in this crisis. Saying it may not convey the depth of your empathy, but it being heartfelt does. I promise that even this simple phrase can help because it means you care. I have a friend who, when my brother died, took me to hang out with her and her kids at the local botanical gardens. It was one of the bright moments in a dark time that illuminated my way home. The little things light the fires that burn through sorrow; love is truly one of the most extraordinary forces known to us. Never discount those small acts; they matter.

Choose Joy and Light the World.

–A