A Note About Grief

Grief has been on a lot of people’s minds lately, mine included. So often it is correlated to the death of a loved one, but among other things, it could also be the result of the loss of a pet, or the end of dreams that will never be realized. I consider myself lucky that while growing up, whenever I was grieving a loss, however big or small, my parents never said, “Don’t cry. Everything will be ok.” Instead they let me cry, or talk, or just be alone for a while.

The world of children’s music experienced two great losses in recent months. Earlier this fall, we lost the incomparable Father Goose and just this weekend the world said goodbye to the First Lady of children’s music, Ms. Ella Jenkins. I think both would agree, when grieving, music is often the best medicine. Sometimes the music lets you rage, it lifts your spirits, or it gives you a reason to have a let-it-all out dance party.  Other times though, music is what helps you make sense of your grief and supports you as you move through it. “Heaven,” from Ronnie Boy Kids is just such a song. Written for Ronnie’s dear friend when she lost her sister, “Heaven” is an incredibly beautiful tune that acknowledges the deep pain of loss while sharing a message of love and hope. It’s a message that will pull at your heart but hopefully bring comfort to those who need it the most.

Music is healing for all ages, but for children and young adults, reading stories about grief can also help them to understand their emotions and the realities of loss. To that end, the cover story of the October issue of School Library Journal was “Good Grief: Middle Grade Authors Normalize Loss” and on September 26, Book Riot published the list “10 Young Adult Books About Grief.” Ultimately, we each grieve in our own way, but hopefully through music and stories, no matter the loss, we never feel like we are alone.