It's Friday, October 9th, 2026.

By LaQuita Burden, RN, BSN

Hello all, It's Friday, October 9th , 2026. 

I pray you all have a peaceful and restorative weekend. 

Today, I want to pause and acknowledge a journey that touches nearly every life at some point: the journey of grief. Grief is one of the deepest expressions of love. 

It is the empty chair at the table, the phone call you can no longer make, the moments you still wish you could share, and the tears that arrive when you least expect them. The hard truth is that grief changes you. It doesn't ask permission before it arrives, and it rarely leaves on the timeline we wish it would. Some days grief is a gentle ache. Other days, it feels like you're carrying mountains on your shoulders and oceans in your eyes. 

You may be working beside someone who is grieving a parent, a spouse, a child, a sibling, a friend, a dream that never came true, a diagnosis, a divorce, or the life they thought they would have. 

What I've learned is that grief never truly disappears. Instead, we learn to carry it differently. We learn to laugh again while still missing someone. We learn to keep moving forward while carrying pieces of our broken hearts. And somehow, those we have lost continue to shape us through the love they left behind. 

If you don't know grief, consider yourself truly blessed. It means life has spared you from one of its deepest heartbreaks. But if grief has found you, know that you are not alone.  Know that it's OK to be gentle with yourself and with others. Offer grace. Show kindness. Check on the people you love. Hold them a little longer. Take the pictures. Say the words you sometimes put off saying. 

I hope you remember this:  The depth of your grief is a reflection of the depth of your love.  And love is one of the most beautiful things we will ever carry.  I love you.  I see you. And you are enough just the way you are.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ~Love EduQuita

LaQuita Burden, BSN, RN is a dedicated Clinical Nurse Educator, Manager at Norton Healthcare, passionate about empowering healthcare professionals through education. Beyond her career, she loves to share wisdom and encouragement with others. As a devoted mother, LaQuita spreads love and kindness, striving to uplift those around her in both her personal and professional life.