For all the things that divide us, grief is a universal language and a defining part of the human experience. At some point, every one of us will love someone we have to say an earthly goodbye to. I am still learning how to walk through each day carrying the grief I feel for my Charlie. Some days I have a vague understanding of God’s plan, others I don’t, but I trust Him completely. He is my only strength. I also know grief can be lonely, and sometimes hearing someone else put words to it makes us feel a little less alone. I wrote this for anyone who has lost someone they love, anyone sitting in grief now, and anyone who someday will. Suffering does not get the final word. Only God does. My reflections on grief, one year later: