On Grandparents Day, we see those who are grieving.

Every year the second Sunday after Labor Day is a special one – Grandparents Day! A time “to honor grandparents … and to help children become aware of the strength, information, and guidance older people can offer.”

It’s also a time to acknowledge that the day can trigger bereaved memories for grandparents who may have suffered an infant loss, either stillbirth or sleep-related such as SUID or SIDS, when they were parenting, even while they are enjoying the celebration of “their day”. What would their baby have been like today had he or she survived?

Or even while they have the love and support of the grandchildren and family around them, they may grieve for an infant who was lost by one of their grown children, bringing to mind a time when their grief was for both their infant grandchild and their adult child.

But it is also a day to touch memories that may be warm and recognize memories that may be painful but are there, nonetheless. Perhaps a time to memorialize a lost one, or simply to let someone know you are thinking of them.

We know there are members of our First Candle community for whom some aspect of this will be true, and we will be thinking of you on Grandparents Day.