Acknowledging Gravity

I don’t know why it took me so long. I’ve seen this training advertised on the socials for a year or so, and I’d pause, then move on. Last week, I didn’t move on. I stopped.

And I registered for the training.

Grief has played a big role in my life—only because love has played an even bigger one. Or maybe they’re equal. I’ve lived inside it for so long and worked so hard to understand it—to translate it into something I can take meaning from. I almost felt “called” to take this certification in a way that I’ve never experienced before. There was a kind of resolve to the decision. Unexpected, but it felt so right.

More importantly, grief plays a role in most everyone’s life—whether or not they choose to acknowledge it. Though a challenging topic, grief shouldn’t be off limits in everyday life. Because it is everyday life.

Though I earned the certification, I’m still reviewing and metabolizing the course content and looking for additional training and learning resources. This training was deep, detailed, and fascinating as I recognized so many of my own experiences as grief work was discussed. I remember what it felt like to be seen—truly seen—while I was grieving Ken.

Maybe that was the beginning.

I think people just want to be seen—particularly when they’re dealing with something challenging and doing their level best to handle it. Most of us aren’t born with the tools to navigate the complexities that often accompany grief. And though I certainly don’t have all the answers, I’ve lived my own grief experience and worked so hard to understand its (unfortunately) necessary role in our lives.

So, this fall, I’m launching grief coaching to help people navigating loss and grief and all that goes along with it. As I said above, I feel called to do this work. It’s a natural pull, hence the title of this article. I considered calling it “Circling the Grief Drain.” Though I like the turn of phrase, the image isn’t terribly enticing.

Stay tuned for more updates as I get things ready.

In the meantime, check out The Luck We Carry audiobook!

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Ron Stempkowski is the author of The Luck We Carry: Love, Loss, and the Stories That Shape Us, a memoir-in-essays about learning to move with grief instead of moving on. If this story resonated, you can grab a signed copy—complete with a handwritten note—at ronstempkowski.com, or get your copy wherever books are sold. And if you'd like more stories like this one, join the journey and get them straight in your inbox.

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