Healing Grief: Community, Pets Gardening & Crafts
[Queen + Queen: Everyday Stories]
Grief is a deeply personal journey, and healing takes time. While there’s no single path to moving forward, incorporating gardening, social media journaling, crafts, and pets into your healing process can provide emotional support and a sense of connection. These creative and nurturing outlets help to channel emotions, create structure, and bring moments of peace during difficult times. Here’s how each can support your journey through grief.
Gardening: Cultivating Growth Amid Loss
Nature has a way of reminding us that life continues even after loss. Gardening can be a therapeutic way to process emotions and find solace in the cycles of life. Tending to plants, watching flowers bloom, and nurturing new growth offer a gentle reminder of resilience. The act of gardening provides:
A physical outlet for grief: Digging, planting, and watering engage the body and mind, releasing pent-up emotions.
A connection to nature’s cycles: Witnessing life’s natural transitions can be a source of comfort.
A space for reflection: Spending time in a garden offers a meditative experience, allowing for quiet moments of remembrance and healing.
Sethie, an Interior Designer and mom, lost her son when he was a child and started building Shiloh's Garden as a way to heal. Through gardening, she found solace in creating a space of beauty and remembrance.
Social Media Journaling: Finding Support Through Community
Writing is a powerful tool for self-expression, and sharing your thoughts online can provide connection and validation. Social media journaling allows individuals to document their grief journey, express emotions openly, and connect with others who understand their pain. Benefits include:
Emotional release: Writing about your thoughts and feelings helps to process emotions in a constructive way.
Support from an online community: Engaging with others who have experienced similar losses creates a sense of belonging and understanding.
A digital memory space: Honoring loved ones through shared reflections, pictures, and stories preserves their legacy.
Carranda., Sorority Member and educator, lost a sorority sister and pulled from the love of her community and sisters for strength. By sharing her journey and memories, she found healing through connection and sisterhood.
Written via Social Media, an Ode to Sisterhood
Crafting: Creating Meaning from Memories
Engaging in crafts and creative expression can be a powerful tool in grief healing. Whether it’s painting, knitting, or making memory scrapbooks, crafting helps transform emotions into tangible expressions of love and remembrance. Creative activities provide:
A sense of purpose: Creating something with your hands gives a feeling of accomplishment and control.
A way to honor lost loved ones: Memory quilts, photo collages, or personalized keepsakes offer a lasting tribute.
A calming, meditative practice: Repetitive motions in activities like knitting or beading can be soothing during times of distress.
Shunquetta, an influencer and mom, lost her son due to a car accident and launched Simply Crafting with Shunquetta classes to heal through offering craft classes like dot/mug painting, sweatshirt making, and jewelry making. Through these creative outlets, she has found a way to channel her grief into something that helps others heal as well.
Pets: Comfort and Unconditional Love
The companionship of pets can bring immense comfort to those experiencing grief. Animals provide a unique form of healing through unconditional love, presence, and routine. Having a pet can:
Reduce loneliness: A pet’s companionship offers comfort and a reason to engage with the world.
Encourage routine and responsibility: Caring for an animal provides structure and purpose, even on difficult days.
Offer emotional support: The simple act of petting an animal can reduce stress and release calming endorphins.
Isha, a holistic therapist and pet parent, recently lost a beloved pet. In her grief, she chose to foster a dog and is now providing holistic care to help him live longer. Through this nurturing process, she has found healing in giving love and support to another life in need.
Embracing Healing Through Creativity and Connection
Grieving is a journey that looks different for everyone, but incorporating gardening, social media journaling, crafts, and pets can provide meaningful ways to process emotions and foster healing. These activities allow for self-expression, community support, and moments of peace, reminding us that even in grief, we can find connection, comfort, and renewal.
If you or someone you know is struggling with grief, consider exploring these outlets as part of the healing journey. Remember, healing isn’t about forgetting—it’s about finding ways to carry love and memories forward with you.