Sometimes grief is connected not only to what happened, but to what we thought would happen. A child we imagined. A family we pictured. The role of becoming a mother or father. Traditions we thought we would create. A future we could already see in our minds. In Season 2, Episode 4 of the OZZz Podcast, Hoomes explores pregnancy, fertility, parenthood, and what it can mean when the family someone imagined does not happen—or happens very differently than expected. This conversation includes pregnancy loss, infertility, medical uncertainty, wanting children but never finding the right circumstances, choosing not to have children, men and reproductive grief, relationships, family pressure, boundaries, and the difficult questions people sometimes ask about parenthood. Hoomes also makes an important distinction throughout the conversation: Nobody else gets to decide what you are supposed to feel. Not everyone experiences pregnancy, abortion, infertility, reproductive decisions, or not becoming a parent as grief. Some people feel sadness. Some feel anger. Some feel relief. Some feel gratitude. Some experience several emotions together. And some do not describe their experience as grief at all. Your experience belongs to you. This episode also asks what happens when society connects adulthood, success, womanhood, manhood, family legacy, or personal worth too closely to becoming a parent. Hoomes reminds listeners: “A life that turns out differently is not automatically a lesser life.” Family can take many forms, and a meaningful life does not depend on becoming a parent. Have you ever had to grieve a version of family or parenthood you once imagined for yourself? Grief Is a Journey: Finding Your Path Through LossKenneth J. Doka, PhD The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of GriefFrancis Weller These books are offered as resources, not instructions for how anyone is supposed to grieve. Have a question for Hoomes? Ask OZZz:https://ozzzpodcast.com/ask-ozzz/ Episode 5: When Children Grow Up — Grieving a Season of Parenthood What happens when the children you spent years raising become independent and begin building lives of their own? Some of the deepest grief is connected to a future we could already see in our minds. OZZz PodcastReal Conversations. Honest Perspective. Important Note: This episode is for conversation, reflection, education, and entertainment. It is not medical, mental-health, fertility, reproductive-health, or counseling advice. If you need individualized support, please consult an appropriate qualified professional.
