We associate grieving with the death of someone dear to us. This is certainly the major form of grieving that most of us will do. But there are other losses that also need to be mourned. A person may grieve the loss of a limb after an accident, or of a boyfriend when a relationship ends.
People grieve for familiar persons and places after they move.
Some are surprised to find themselves grieving as graduation approaches and they feel their school days, and childhood, coming to an end. Grieving is letting ourselves feel the pain of letting go. Precisely because it is so painful, grieving is not something we are eager to do. That is why our initial reactions to a loss may be denial or anger. But eventually, if we are emotionally healthy, we allow ourselves to feel the pain, we grieve.