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“Mama, Can You Die From a Broken Heart?”

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By Chelsea Ohlemiller

Girl smiling — Image via Chelsea Ohlemiller

She’s listening to country songs as her hair is blowing in the wind. She looks and feels older than she is. I smile watching her sing. She reminds me of my younger self. Carefree and complicated. Charismatic and emotional.

“So, is it true, mama?”

“Is what true?”

“Can you die from a broken heart?”

I wasn’t ready for this kind of question, just like she’s not ready for the truest answer. The answer that is heavy and complex.

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My reply was simple, “No, baby. You can’t die from a broken heart. Hearts are resilient. They break all the time.”

What I wanted to say was . . .

You can’t die from a broken heart, but it might feel like it.

You can’t die from a broken heart, but you’ll break and shatter.

You can’t die from a broken heart, but it will knock you to your knees, breathless.

In your lifetime, your heart will break many times. You’ll lose people you love to death. You’ll lose people you love to circumstance. You’ll lose people you love to growth and change and the unknown.

RELATED: The Best People Are the Broken Ones

Sweet girl, sadly one day your heart will break. You’ll cry. You’ll pray. You’ll ask why. You’ll want to be left alone and also want to be held. You’ll wonder how you’ll get past the pain.

You’ll wonder if your heart will heal.

It will, baby girl. Hearts are resilient. They crack wide open and eventually beautiful things come along and fill the cracks and empty spaces.

I’d love to tell you hearts don’t break. I’d love to prevent yours from ever feeling pain. I’d love to protect and shield yours fiercely. But by doing that, you’d miss the beauty of overcoming hardships. You’d miss the important lessons of pain and loss. You’d miss the growth and transformative opportunity.

A broken heart feels like loneliness, fear, sadness, longing, and complete despair. A broken heart eventually transforms into resiliency, hope, strength, and unexpected blessings in the broken.

RELATED: For As Long As We Love, We Grieve

The only heart that can break is the one that loves fiercely. You will never regret spreading passionate and mighty love. Even when your heart breaks.

Love bravely. Love boldly. Love beautifully. Never fearing the outcome. Hearts break, sweet girl, but they heal too.

Originally published on the author’s blog

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a broken heart broken heart can you die from a broken heart Grief grieving loss pain

Chelsea Ohlemiller

Chelsea Ohlemiller is well-known for her blog, Happiness, Hope and Harsh Realities. She has written for multiple platforms such as Her View from Home, Love What Matters, and Scary Mommy. She has had essays featured in two Chicken Soup for the Soul collections, as well as the national bestseller So God Made a Mother. Her first book is available now, "Now That She's Gone". She lives in Indianapolis with her husband and three children. Website: www.hopeandharshrealities.com Instagram Handle: hopeandharshrealities Facebook: @hopeandharshrealities

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“Mama, Can You Die From a Broken Heart?”

You can’t die from a broken heart, but it might feel like it.

You’ll wonder if your heart will heal.

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A GRANDMA

She Was the Glue That Held Our Family Together

My Parents Will Never See This Face

The Due Date that Never Comes

Repotting Myself: What My One‑Armed Grandpa Taught Me About Growing Anyway

When I Look In the Mirror, I See My Mother

I Lost My Daughter on Mother’s Day: 3 Truths I’m Believing Today

I Miss Having Parents

What No One Tells You about Losing a Sibling

Grief Didn’t Break Me, It Rearranged Me

I’m Learning To Be Soft and Strong

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