Spring is often described as a season of renewal; flowers bloom, trees bud, the days grow longer, and the world feels like it is waking up again. But for those carrying grief, spring can feel unexpectedly heavy.

When everything around you is beginning again, the contrast can be painful. The brightness of the season may highlight the absence you feel. Milestones that should have been. Birthdays that should be celebrated. Activities your child loved that now come with an ache. The world moving forward can feel out of sync with a heart that is still holding deep loss.

Grief in spring is complicated. It can bring:

• A heightened awareness of what’s missing

• Emotional exhaustion from seasonal events and gatherings

• Guilt for not feeling joyful when others do

• Unexpected triggers tied to memories

If this season feels heavier than you expected, you are not alone, and nothing is wrong with you.

Here are gentle ways to cope with grief in the spring:

1. Create a spring ritual of remembrance.
Plant flowers in their honor. Release butterflies. Light a candle at sunset. Mark the season in a way that includes them.

2. Give yourself permission to opt out.
You don’t have to attend every gathering. Protect your energy.

3. Let nature hold space for you.
Take quiet walks. Sit in the sun. Notice growth without forcing yourself to feel hopeful. Simply observe.

4. Talk about them.
Say their name. Share a memory. Grief softens when their story is spoken aloud.

5. Balance remembrance with grounding.
Pair hard moments with small comforts such as coffee with a friend, music, journaling, prayer, therapy, or quiet reflection.

Spring doesn’t erase grief. But it can gently remind us that love continues in new forms. Growth does not mean forgetting. Moving forward does not mean leaving someone behind.

Sometimes the bravest thing in spring is simply allowing yourself to feel both the ache and the warmth at the same time.