In grief do not sing songs to a broken heart

Tools for finding hope along the journey: Knowing that sometimes we can’t be cheered up


There are times that distractions from friends and families can help us and give us a respite from our pain. When we are grieving, though well intentioned, efforts to cheer us up can add to our pain. It is important that friends and families realize that we are going to hurt in some way for a lifetime. Not that we won’t ever live a meaningful, fulfilled life we just need time to figure out our new path.

Artwork by Tanya Lord
About the Artist

Tanya Lord was a special education teacher when Noah died. After his death she read The Institute of Medicine’s report To Err Is Human and realized that the errors responsible for her son’s death were not unique. This created a desire and determination to better understand and work towards improving health care. Currently she has completed a master’s degree in public health and a PhD in clinical and population health research and is completing a post-doctoral fellowship. Lord shares her personal and professional experiences in presentations and workshops for medical staff and students focusing on the importance of effective communication with patients before and after an error. She also is a co-founder of The Grief Toolbox (www.thegrieftoolbox.com), which offers tools to help those along the grief journey. Lord may be contacted at [email protected]