Recently, my family and I lost our close family friend due to COVID-19 and it has been very rough on everyone in my family.

This was my first time experiencing a death in my inner circle, so I felt a rush of emotions like anger, sadness and relief that she was not battling the virus anymore.

Through the rush of emotions I was feeling as a result of the loss, I learned some valuable lessons. One of the things I learned is to always let your family and friends know how much they mean to you because you never know when it could be the last time you see them. Now, I know to show more affection to my family and friends so they know they are always loved.

I realized that in a way, loss connects family more than ever. My family and I had to be strong for each other because we were all dealing with the same thing, so we could each lift the other person’s spirits up if they were having a tough day. I felt very loved and supported by my family throughout the whole grieving process.

Dealing with loss is never easy for anybody, but it can be an eye-opening experience. I never realized how important it is to value relationships with family before I experienced my first loss. I learned to not take family for granted and to cherish them for as long as they are with you.

It is important to understand that loss is a common thing that is happening to families because of COVID-19 and that when processing loss, it is important to keep family close.