EP170 - Grieving in a World That’s Moved On: When the Silence Hurts

What happens when the world moves on, but your grief hasn’t? In this episode of Journey to Grateful, I reflect on the silence that often follows loss—when friends and family return to their normal routines, while you’re left navigating a reality that will never be the same.

Now, more than five years after my wife Colleen’s passing, I share how grief continues to show up in unexpected ways, including during a recent milestone moment: moving my son to college. While many see such moments as purely joyful, they can also reopen the wound of absence, reminding us of the chapters we were meant to share with those we’ve lost.

This conversation explores the ache of feeling left behind, the weight of disenfranchised grief, and why grief can still feel raw years later. I also offer ways to stay grounded when the support fades—through speaking their name, finding new circles of understanding, and creating small rituals to keep love present.

If you’ve ever felt like your grief is “too much” or wondered why it still hurts long after others think it should have eased, this episode is a reminder: grief has no timeline, and neither does love.