What do you think of the statement, “The capacity to grieve is as much a part of us as the capacity to love”? Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?
I definitely agree. From my observations of human nature, from the very young to the not so young, I see the natural response to experience grief when someone with whom you have an emotional tie is absent. For instance, this grief reaction may occur in a toddler within moments of when he has last seen his loved one. All he knows is that he wants the person and she is not in his grasp, and he has yet to reach the understanding that the person will return or he will return to her. His reaction to his perceived loss is as natural as the love he has placed in the person.
Often I’m asked about children and grief. Do little ones grieve? My response is always the same: “If they are old enough to love, they are old enough to grieve.” Yes, there grief response may look very different from that of an adult, but they will mourn their loss in their own way on and on their own level. for some information about children’s grief reactions, follow this link to “Children’s Grief Responses” by Dr. Mary M. Lyles.
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