Subtraction and Addition
“But there was a comfort in the sadness. It is hard to explain and I don’t know if you feel the same about your mum, but I sometimes indulged my sadness. I headed towards it. Grief felt like the only way to keep close to them. So my mind headed to sad and bittersweet thoughts – even to a walk in the woods with them both thirty-six years ago, pickin
... See moreOpinion | Our Lives Are an Endless Series of ‘And’
nytimes.com
When we lose someone we love, our brains struggle to adjust to their absence. Love is what psychologists call a “bonded relationship”—it relies on our belief that we and the people we love will always be there for each other. And when that’s no longer true, at least in a physical sense, it can feel like part of you is missing. In fact, O’Connor arg
... See moreMelinda Gates • The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward
The one thing to remember is that those who give us what was missing in our past also show us what was missing. That combination of fulfillment and grief can be hard to hold, so we have to be patient with ourselves.
David Richo • How to Be an Adult in Love: Letting Love in Safely and Showing It Recklessly
The deaths came as a shock to everyone. As Jody watched three grieving families, she thought of the comfort Larry’s words had provided his family. She hurt for the children, those “who knew unquestionably of their parents’ love, but desperately missed the reassurance and security that their physical presence provided.” She couldn’t stop thinking of
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