What is heartache?

Heartache is when your heart feels sad because something important to you has changed or gone away.

Imagine you have a favorite toy that always makes you laugh and feel happy. One day, it breaks or someone takes it away. You miss the joy it brought you, that’s like heartache.

Sometimes, heartache happens when you lose someone you love, like a friend or family member. It's as if your favorite toy was taken by a big, gentle wind and flown far away. You still remember how it made you feel, but now there’s a hollowness inside, like the space where the toy used to be.

Your heart isn’t just a muscle that pumps blood; it also feels things. When something important leaves, your heart feels it too, and sometimes that feeling can make you want to cry or feel tired. But even though heartache is big, it can get smaller over time, just like how you might stop missing your toy as much after you get a new one.