Having watched my daughter suffer through the grief of losing a partner and seen how the silence of others compounded her feelings of isolation, I have made a promise to myself. Next time I learn of a friend or family member mourning the loss of a loved one, I will show up for them. Visit, call, write – I will do whatever I can, but I will say something. It might sound stupid, but I’ll say it anyway.

When someone is grieving and you don’t know how to help, almost anything is better than doing nothing.