The last 12 months were some I would rather not repeat, filled with layers of loss and heartache. I can say with certainty 2022 wasn't exactly a banner year for me and maybe it wasn't for you either.

In May, we said goodbye to my dad after he lost a two-year battle with ALS. For anyone who has lost a parent, you can understand the complex range of emotions that come with losing someone like that. My dad was a great guy.

Losses continued.

In August, my partner and I said goodbye to our horse, Mia.

I thought that was it.

But 2022 offered one final sad blow a few weeks back, when we had to say goodbye to our beloved dog, Cooper, a 12-year-old yellow lab with a heart of gold.

I write all this not in search of sympathy.

When we think about loss and grief, death is usually the first thing that comes to our minds. But as so many of us learned during the pandemic, there are plenty of other experiences and things in life we grieve the loss of outside of death.

"Grief is our natural response to loss there are so many things we lose that are not just through death of someone," said Litsa Willians, a licensed clinical social worker and co-founder of a website called What’s Your Grief?.

The website was launched in 2014, long before the pandemic, when online mental health services weren't widely available. Williams and co-founder Eleanor Haley realized most of us only really dealt with grief in traditional settings like cemeteries or funeral homes.

"We really didn’t do a good job as a culture of creating a space for people to know how to be present with losses," Haley said.

So, what are other types of losses we grieve? The loss of friendships is one—it's a loss Williams and Haley have seen more of lately.

"In recent years, we’ve seen friends and families divided over politics and other issues where there have been real estrangements. People are grieving that loss, but also that belief we are able to understand other people in the world," Williams said.

Changes in careers, job loss or retirement also can become a source of grief.

"People look forward to retirement, and then suddenly, they realize there is this huge loss that’s been left where their job once was. There’s a tremendous grief that comes with that," she added.

It’s also possible to grieve the loss of something we don’t have—a future we imagined for ourselves.

"If I always believed I would have children and I’m battling with infertility, I never had that life and it’s a huge loss to say goodbye to that future," Williams explained.

These two women are trying to give all of that grief a platform. On their website are non-traditional avenues for Americans nationwide to express their grief, like expressing grief in six words or expressing grief in a recipe.

The hope is to give people a space to explore mental health options outside of a traditional therapy session.

"People want to do things. They’re less interested in talking about their emotions; they want something to do."

CINCINNATI —

The Bengals team flew a charter plane back to Cincinnati as fans headed toward the airport for their post-Super Bowl travel back home.

“We didn’t win, but at least it was a good game,” said Bengals fan Tricia Stuart as she arrived at CVG after being at the Super Bowl.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so, I’m just glad I got a chance to see it,” said Von Craddock, who was also at the game and arrived at CVG on Monday.

Mark Householder was also at the game. Even though the Bengals didn’t win, he said the trip was not a loss.

“It was absolutely worth it,” Householder said.

Many fans had traveled from out of state to be in Cincinnati to watch the game.

“I live in Durham, North Carolina. I’m born and raised in Cincinnati,” said Morgan Andres. “There were plenty of Super Bowl parties and plenty of bars in Durham, but it just wasn’t the same as being home.”

Some fans leaving CVG were not originally from Cincinnati, but are serious Bengals fans.

Jason Stewart took four planes and traveled thousands of miles from Canada. It would have been closer to go to Los Angeles.

“It wouldn’t have mattered if it was in my own backyard. I wouldn’t have gone to the Super Bowl. I just wanted to be here with the people,” Stewart said.

As people enter into a second holiday season in the COVID-19 pandemic, so many are dealing with the loss of a loved one.

Dr. Ruth Benca, a psychiatrist with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in North Carolina, said she's seen significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety, stress-related illnesses and trouble sleeping over the course of the pandemic. Now, she and other mental health professionals are anticipating the holidays will only add to those issues.

"There are probably many layers of guilt, particularly with these losses," Benca said. "They think, 'I shouldn't be having a happy time right now because I'm here.' That's survivor's guilt. So I think it's really important to face that, but not do that to yourself. Not beat yourself up. It's important to be accepting of yourself and also be accepting about what you do feel able to do or not over the holidays."

Benca said self-checks and self-care are critically important over these next few weeks. She recommends prioritizing sleep and taking time for yourself to work out or just get outside to absorb some sunshine.

The doctor also said, when checking in with friends and family, to attempt some kind of face-to-face contact. She said phone calls are helpful, but the most effective way to connect would be over FaceTime or in-person.

The holidays also bring up a lot of traditions with loved ones. For many, COVID-19 meant the sudden loss of that person you had a tradition with or the inability to visit them. Benca said you have two options: either continue doing those traditions in honor and memory of them OR find a new tradition that will bring you joy. She reminds patients they can always come back to those previous traditions in a few years when they feel more manageable.

Benca said if the feelings are overwhelming to a point of a crisis, to see professional help. You can also always call the National Helpline at 1-800-273-8255.

Related video above: Five iconic Wimbledon moments of the last decade

There will be no Golden Slam for Novak Djokovic.

The top-ranked Serb lost to Alexander Zverev of Germany 1-6, 3-6, 6-1 Friday in the semifinals of the tennis tournament at the Tokyo Olympics.

Djokovic was attempting to become the first man to win all four Grand Slam tournaments and Olympic gold in the same year. He won the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon this year and needed the Olympic and U.S. Open titles to complete the collection.

Steffi Graf in 1988 remains the only tennis player to achieve the Golden Slam.

"He won 20 Grand Slams," Zverev said. "So you can’t have everything."

Zverev’s opponent in the gold-medal match will be Karen Khachanov. The Russian beat Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain 6-3, 6-3.

Djokovic, who hadn’t lost since getting beaten by Rafael Nadal at the Italian Open final 2½ months ago, will play Carreno Busta for bronze.

On a humid and muggy evening at the Ariake Tennis Park, Djokovic committed a series of uncharacteristic errors after a strong start as the 6-foot-6 Zverev started to win free points with his big serve.

When Zverev hit a backhand winner down the line that Djokovic didn’t move for to close it out, Djokovic walked to the net where he was embraced by Zverev. Djokovic responded by resting his head on Zverev’s shoulder as the pair exchanged some words.

"I told him that he’s the greatest of all time," Zverev said. "I know that he was chasing history, he was chasing (the) Golden Slam. ... We’re very close. ... So of course I’m happy that I’ve won, but in the end of the day I also know (how) he feels."

Djokovic’s only Olympic medal was bronze in singles at the 2008 Beijing Games — his first. He could still win a gold at the Tokyo Games in mixed doubles.

Djokovic was due back on the court almost immediately to play with Serbian partner Nina Stojanovic in the mixed doubles semifinals against the Russian duo of Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev.

It's the third consecutive day that Djokovic was playing two matches.

Viktor Troicki, Serbia's Olympic team coach, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the entire team was against Djokovic playing mixed doubles because they didn't want the event to tire him out with so much on the line in singles.

Without Djokovic, the gold-medal match will be lacking star power.

Zverev's best career result was reaching the final of last year's U.S. Open, while the 25th-ranked Khachanov is coming off a quarterfinal appearance at Wimbledon and is now in the biggest final of his career.

Later, there’s an all-Croatian gold-medal match in men’s doubles featuring the top-seeded pair of Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic against Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig.

The first medal of the tennis competition went to the New Zealand team of Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus, who took bronze in men’s doubles by beating Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren of the United States 7-6 (3), 6-2.

Daniell and Venus became the first New Zealand players to win a medal in tennis since 1912, when Anthony Wilding took bronze in singles while representing Australasia. Wilding, New Zealand’s only Grand Slam singles champion with six titles, was killed during World War I in 1915 at the age of 31.