“I think of grief as a room inside myself. At first the room was gigantic, unfamiliar, and completely foreign. I felt unprepared to dwell in it. It took up my whole being, which was scary at first. One thing that helped me through that time, that helped me make a home for my sorrow in that room of grief, was the small kindnesses shared by those around me. I knew that there was nothing they could say or do to take away my grief. But simple acts of compassion and thoughtfulness helped me to see that this broken world and my tender heart could hold, at the same time, both sorrow and gratitude, despair and hopefulness…”

Here are 8 ways to help our grieving friends during the Holidays.