Mari Andrew on grief
mari andrew illustrator

If you’re on Instagram, you may have already discovered Mari Andrew. If not, she’s an amazing artist who captures grief (and so many other aspects of being human).

Here are some of my favorites:

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The ambivalence of feeling better

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Selfie from yesterday

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A lot of you marvelous people asked me yesterday what you SHOULD say to a friend who is suffering, since a well-intentioned "You're so strong" can come off as dismissive. We don't do grief or pain very well as a society, so it's no wonder that people have a hard time knowing what to say. • Fabulous resources: I HIGHLY recommend the beautifully-illustrated book "There is No Good Card For This" by Kelsey Crowe and @emilymcdowell_, and the wonderful short @brenebrown video "Brené Brown on Empathy" on YouTube. Both are so insightful!! Required reading and watching for all human beings! • I've put a few phrases above that were music to my ears through my grief and illness. I'm speaking from the Mari experience only, and even my own experiences vary so much. For instance, after my father died I desperately wanted to talk through my grief to anyone who would listen, but when I was sick I dreaded the question "How are you feeling?" and would insist on discussing celebrity gossip instead. • I'd love to read any words that have been helpful to you. We are ALL learning how to do this ?

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Written by Michelle Daly

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