|  Blog Post   |  Let it.

Let it.

Eleven years later, taking care of my senior eleven-year-old dogs. Every morning, I push a stroller, and every night I put on their diapers.

Things I never got to do for a child.

The sound of the stroller wheels hitting the cracks in the sidewalk and the soft crackle of the diaper tabs make me realize that this tough end-of-life season for the girls is heartbreaking and heart-healing.

I never got to drown in dirty diapers.

I never got to push the stroller.

And now, as I am doing both for two elderly dogs, I realize that a piece of my heart that was still gapingly broken from failed infertility treatments is being healed.

Grief is such a funny thing.

It will constantly catch you off guard.

It will change and grow different as your life and healing grow around it.

It will never, ever leave you.

Because love never leaves.

When you dare to open yourself up to love you guarantee you will grieve. Both are beautiful, and both are worth it.

Love hard, grieve hard.

What I am learning most, especially the more the years pass since our dream of having kids died, is that the grief, especially when you meet it with love, will leave you wide open to receive all the love.

Let it.

Author:

A Licensed Professional Counselor, Justine Froelker has over 25 years of experience in mental health, personal growth, and professional development. For eleven years, she was certified in Dr. Brené Brown’s work on vulnerability, courage, and empathy. Justine now shares her own curriculum, Courage is Built Here™. This transformative program empowers individuals to live and lead with self-awareness, authenticity, and resilience, building a foundation for courage-centered leadership. In addition to writing her blog since 2013, Justine is an accomplished author of twelve books—including five Amazon bestsellers—Justine has written across genres, from children’s books to in-depth explorations of infertility, faith, grief, and leadership. She has delivered two TEDx Talks, The Permission of the And and The Donut Effect, which highlight her unique perspective on navigating life’s complexities with grace. Justine is a sought-after speaker who travels nationally and presents virtually to global audiences, delivering keynotes, workshops, retreats, and trainings on topics such as leadership, resilience, mental health, coping with burnout, courageous and curious conversations, and fostering cultures of inclusion and belonging. Justine lives in St. Louis with her husband Chad and their two dogs, Gertie and Winston. You’ll often find her volunteering at Wild Bird Rehabilitation—supporting the medical team and feeding hundreds of tiny, hungry babies during baby bird season. And during butterfly season, her home comes alive with the flutter of wings as she raises hundreds of monarch and swallowtail butterflies.

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