David Kessler recalls meeting Anderson Cooper, who was initially reluctant to discuss grief but later launched a podcast on the subject. Kessler's own loss of his younger son reinforced what he learned from Cooper: grief can't be rushed or forced on anyone else's timeline.
Can Anderson Cooper talk about grief? Years ago, I was asked by one of Anderson Cooper's producers on his TV show to write a piece on grief, which I did. The producer said to me, "I wish you would talk to Anderson. He's had so much pain and grief. He could really use some help." I didn't know him. I didn't have access to him. Years later, I was going to meet him in a work situation. And of course, two of the producers said it'd be great if you could talk to Anderson. He's had so much pain and conversation would be good. I was there with my children and he was so lovely and so kind to them. And now that my younger son has died, that means even more to me. And I remember at one point saying to him, I'm a grief and loss specialist. And he suddenly like awkwardly backed away and said, "Nice to meet you," and went off. Maybe it was just a work situation, or maybe it was the grief. But here's what I think is important. Anderson Cooper has gone on to do an amazing podcast and is helping people with conversations we could have never dreamed of that's touching so many lives. Maybe when I met him, he wasn't ready to talk about grief. Maybe I wasn't the person he was supposed to talk to about it. But I think here's what's important for us to know. We can't push people. We can't decide on their timing. Maybe the people in your life aren't ready yet. We all have to do grief in our own time and in our own way. Do you have someone in your life that you wish they could talk about grief more? Than they are? If so, can you allow them to do it on their timing? And thank you, Anderson Cooper, for all you do.
