Celebrating the Women in Our Lives During Women’s History Month

Celebrating the Women in Our Lives During Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the many ways women have helped shape history, culture and society around the world. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on the women who have made an impact on our own lives. In March, I often encourage my grief counseling clients to honor the special women they have lost. Losing a mother, grandmother, aunt, daughter, niece, wife, mentor or friend can bring a mixture of emotions. Although bittersweet, these feelings allow us to experience the wide range of grief while honoring the ways these women contributed to our individual lives.

Ideas to Celebrate a Loved One

Celebrating a loved one can ease the pain of loss and help reinforce the bond you shared. Celebrations can be large, small, public or private.

Here are some ideas of ways to celebrate a loved one this Women’s History Month:

• Spend time with family and friends sharing stories of her life
• Do something she enjoyed, such as cooking a favorite meal, listening to her favorite music, reading a favorite book or watching a favorite movie
• Support a cause that was important to her
• Write a letter to her to let her know how you’re doing or what you loved or miss most about her
• Create a memory book or box, collecting photos and mementos from your life together
• Plant a flower or tree in her honor

Recognizing Female Caregivers and Frontline Workers

The National Women’s History Alliance designates a yearly theme for Women’s History Month. The 2022 theme is “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.” This theme is “both a tribute to the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during this ongoing pandemic and also a recognition of the thousands of ways that women of all cultures have provided both healing and hope throughout history.” 

With that theme in mind, I would like to recognize those of you who were caregivers to special women in your lives, as well as the women who may have cared for you. I would also like to give a shout out to my incredible female colleagues who have been caring for our bereaved tirelessly over the years. They embody this theme wholeheartedly and continue to not only provide healing to broken hearts but promote hope for the future. 

To learn more about Gilchrist’s Grief Counseling program, visit gilchristcares.org/grief-counseling.

To support our work, visit gilchristcares.org/give.