When you feel okay (and then feel guilty)

Good moments are allowed. They don't erase the loss.

Maybe you laughed today. Or felt a minute of calm, or forgot for a second. Then the guilt showed up, like feeling okay is a betrayal of what was lost. It isn't.

Let the good moment be a moment. You don't have to explain it or earn it.
You can hold both. Grief and a small laugh can live in the same hour.
Notice one good thing today, and don't argue with it.

Why this happens

Good feelings show up even in the middle of hard times, and they are not a mistake. In people living through crisis, moments of positive feeling actually help them steady and bounce back. Feeling okay doesn't mean you've forgotten, or that you're done grieving. Both can be true at the same time.

Helping a kid through this? See Helping Kids.

If this feels like too much, you don't have to hold it alone. Call or text 988, or text HOME to 741741, any time. If you or someone else is in danger, call 911.