As the new year began, I was asked a question. 'What is your goal for the podcast this year?' I thought for a minute and then answered, 'I want to help create more of a community of grievers.' I know that many people tune in to listen to me each week, but I want more than that. I want people to feel that they are an essential part of the Always Andy's Mom community. I want people to feel less alone in their grief. On this week's Livestream podcast, Gwen and I discuss the blessings of finding a community of grievers to support you during grief.

We posed questions to listeners to think about before tuning in this week. How did you find your community? How does your community of grievers help you? What do you look for in a grieving community? I love the responses that listeners gave. Some people turned to family. Others found other grieving parents in their local communities. It actually surprised me just how many people listed that this podcast helped them feel a sense of community. (It gave me a little encouragement that perhaps I am already doing a little better in this area than I previously thought.) There was some sadness in the responses as well. Some felt as if they were not part of a grieving community at all.

Grieving the loss of your child, no matter what the age or circumstances, is an extremely isolating and horrible experience. I have learned over these last 5 years, however, that when I surround myself with a loving community of other grieving parents, I feel less isolated and that makes the journey a little less horrible as well. My hope for this podcast episode is that you can feel encouraged that there is a community out there for you. You may not have found it yet, but it is there. There are loving people whose calling is to support the bereaved. If you can't find anything in your local community, know that you can start right here with me on the Always Andy's Mom podcast (andysmom.com) or with Gwen (grief-guide.com). Let us give you the love and support you need and deserve.