Growing up, I never really grasped the concept of death. Of course, I had been to funerals for family members and family friends, but I was always the one who never cried. I'm sure it came off as heartless to those around me, but that wasn't the case at all. It was simply that the thought of someone passing away never made sense to me. It wasn't that I wasn't upset, I just didn't understand. That all changed in 2017 when I lost two cousins.

Losing two of my cousins not only impacted me, but it impacted everyone around me. The heartbreak that filled every second of almost every day was immeasurable, and I wouldn't wish that pain upon anyone. I struggled to accept the passing of both of my cousins. I never wanted to believe that it was true. But finally, like most things in life, accepting it did became doable. It never became easier, but I could manage it. Accepting the passing of the ones we hold close will never be easy, but we learn to grieve and mourn. Through that, we are able to move forward.

I find that when people around us experience loss, the go-to response is, "I'm so sorry. It will be OK." To me, they are often words that hold little value. Because, realistically, it's not going to be "OK", and that's OK. It's okay to be sad and it's OK to feel like the world just crashed down around you. I feel as though we often sweep our emotions under the rug in fear of feeling. I've learned that accepting those emotions and allowing yourself to feel that way is the most important part of healing. Losing a loved one will never become easier, and that is something we all know. It is important to allow ourselves to feel and to give ourselves the time to heal.