My Grief is Not Like Yours
ABOUT THE BOOK
A daughter’s heartbreaking and tragic story of losing her parents—and hope for those walking their own journey through grief.
Theo Boyd had always been close to her parents. Her father was a Texas peanut farmer, rancher, and preacher; her mother, deaf from a young age, was the glue that held them all together. Then one summer day in 2019, everything changed when Theo’s mother died in a tragic accident on their family farm. As Theo began to process this loss, her marriage started to unravel, adding another painful layer to her grief.
Meanwhile, Theo continued to care for her father who was shaken to his core by the tragedy. Nothing could erase the agony he felt from losing his love and soulmate of over 50 years, and one night he chose to escape his pain by ending his life. Theo suddenly had to learn to live without the two people who were her constant love and support—her parents.
In My Grief Is Not Like Yours, Theo gives an unforgettable account of how quickly life can turn to grief. Beautifully woven, this book is threaded with memories and raw emotions that are seldom discussed. Theo shows listeners how she endured the unimaginable. She walks beside anyone navigating through their grief, helping them feel less alone and guiding them to hope and healing.
“We are all unique, in life and in death. We are born, we live, we die, and we grieve, but my grief is not like yours.”
In this book,
you will learn to....
– Grieve in your own way.
– Find healthy outlets for your pain.
– Be present for others.
– Lean on others.
What Readers Are Saying...
I think this is an excellent book on grief. I lost my father in a car accident about a year and a half ago and my grandmother 2 years prior to that, both unexpectedly. It’s a struggle losing two people close to me in such a short amount of time and finding others who can relate to that loss is helpful. I’m not really a religious person so the parts where God is referenced, I just replaced it with a “everything will be okay” mantra. I definitely recommend if you lost someone close and are currently struggling with grief.
I really enjoyed this book, as it was just what I needed to read after my Mother’s unexpected passing. I picked it during a giveaway because I was in a down/confused sort of mood, not knowing what to expect. I found it enlightening, and liked how the suggestions at the end of the chapters made sense. It showed how to do some of the suggestions like the list about your loved one. I also found it reassuring that everyone grieves in a different way, and we all take different amounts of time to get there. Ms. Boyd did a service to those of us who are grieving and not necessarily knowing what that’s supposed to look like, because my grief is not like yours. I would recommend this book to those who have lost a love one as it was reassuring to me, and helped fill the void when I had questions/thoughts that I couldn’t ask the one person I’d always turned to when something unexpected has happened, my Mom.
What a tragically beautiful memoir. Theo Boyd walks us through grieving her parents after they both suffered separate, horrible deaths. She also discusses her divorce and the grief that can be felt from a loss of relationship. Ms. Boyd’s writing is so beautiful and easily brought tears to my eyes. This book is for anyone suffering through grief. While you get to learn about growing up in a peanut farm in Texas, you also get to feel the sense of a warm hug you didn’t know you needed and hear reassurance about losing a loved one. The author mentions her beliefs in God and religion, which is something I do not relate to. Despite the disconnection on that part only, I would say this touched me deeply and I would recommend this book to everyone.
I found this book unexpectedly at a local bookstore, but it came at a time that I so desperately needed it. Reading through the raw emotions of grief, was like having a friend speak directly to the hurting places of heart. Whether recently grieving or knowing someone that is struggling with grief, this will be a book that I share widely!
Heartfelt note:
I hope this book helps you in a healing journey. After each chapter, I have questions that I ask so that you may write your pain on the pages and own this book for yourself. When I wrote the title for this book, I didn’t do it so that you could just read about my loss. I wrote it so that you could own this title for yourself. Write your pain on its pages and start a healing journey of your own.
“You are never alone. Even in your darkest moments, God is using something within that darkness to help you. Close your eyes and feel that door opening and closing. You may be in charge of opening and closing it, but God provided the door. Open it. Look inside. You will find that you have a reason for living. Living. Learning to live through Loss is a skill that may take years to master, but you will come out on the other side understanding your purpose and your path, and there is hope on the other side.” – Theo Boyd, My Grief is Not Like Yours
Thelizabeth “Theo” Boyd was born and raised on a farm in Whitney, Texas, named after her grandmothers Thelma and Elizabeth. Known as “Theo” since middle school, she began writing poems with her father and learning resilience from her mother. She pursued higher education later in life, becoming a high school English and Creative Writing teacher-earning “Rookie Teacher of the Year” her first year—and contributing as a newspaper columnist.
In 2019, Theo experienced a traumatic loss that inspired her debut memoir, My Grief Is Not Like Yours, and launched her podcast, Think Theo, where she explores the complexities of grief. Since the book’s release in May 2023, Theo has been featured on numerous media outlets, including Newsweek, The Sun, and The Daily Mail, and has received 17 national and international book awards, including the Indie Excellence Award and two Global Book Awards.
When not writing or speaking, Theo enjoys farm life with her dog, Manly, as they build their new home. She is passionate about helping others navigate grief, using both personal stories and national research to offer hope and healing.