Never thought I would be telling the world that I agree with Dear Abby, but here goes. Dear Abby is a syndicated advice column that has run in newspapers across America since 1956. It is not where I usually do my research. But the column that ran in the January 24 edition of Your Hub changed that for me, at least for a day.

In case you missed it, the column featured a letter from a grieving mother asking for help after her young child's dad died. Turns out this mother was still grieving the loss of her own father in Iraq and was at a loss for how to deal with her own grief, let alone her child's. The columnist responded with accuracy, sensitivity, and good common sense, making suggestions that helped her understand the grieving process, and directing her to the kind of resources that can help her and her child.

The young woman's story is more common than we admit. Nearly 40,000 children a year lose a parent to death in Denver. Because we don't talk about it, most people don't know it is true, and families who need help don't know where to go. Kudos to Dear Abby for a well thought out answer to the cries of one grieving mother.

Too often, the advice given to someone who is grieving is either insensitive, judgmental, or just plain goofy. Though there are no perfect answers to give to someone when they have questions after the death of a loved one, it is helpful to know that there are resources we can direct them to that will give them the long-term support they need.

If you had a loved one die, whether you are the surviving parent of a young child or an older person who lived most of your life with a beloved spouse, your words might be helpful to someone else going through a similar experience. I would like to hear your story, including what helped you and what did not. Maybe we will all learn something new.