To grieve someone you never knew; that no one knew.

A person you never saw or heard or touched, but loved deeply nonetheless.

A death with no funeral, no casket, no memorial, no grave.

Just pain and emptiness and aching.

A weight of displaced guilt, never meant to be yours to carry.

Comforting words escape, well-intentioned platitudes fall flat.

‘Failed pregnancy’. ‘Miscarry’. ‘Lost a baby’. No phrase captures the truth.

A life ended before it began. A hope given and then taken.

Physical pain and rapid chemical change – somber tangible reminders.

Grief that outlasts the time. Grief that overshadows the joy for others. Grief that masquerades as guilt and anger.

Joy comes again. Time eases pain. New life can bring new hope.

But the loss will never be forgotten, nor should it.