My sister lost her infant twins last year, they were stillborn. We all grieved their passing. We, her husband, her brothers and sisters, me and our mom, and her three other children, were eager to meet them, and get to know them.

We made plans for toys we wanted to buy them and subjects we would eventually talk about with them. Their brother was looking forward to being a “big brother”.

That grief was every bit as real as if we’d all known them for years. We planned their futures. We planned our relationships with them. And now we grieve what none of us will ever have.

The grief is real.

And sometimes people should just shut up!