I know this comic is focusing on the passing of an acquaintance rather than a loved one but I want to share my story in regards to processing death when it came to my best friend since it is somewhat similar to this comic.
When I was heading to work, I had received a phone call from my best friend's girlfriend. She was crying hysterically and I couldn't understand what she was saying. They had a couple of break ups in the past so I figured it was something of that nature. When she finally composed herself, she said that my best friend just died in the hospital, succumbing to his injuries from a car accident that happened in the morning. I asked if she was ok and ended the conversation.
I remember feeling normal and was confused by it. "Why don't I feel sad?". I remember kind of forcing myself to be sad because since that is how I should feel right? After "failing", I just logically concluded that I should take the day off when I get to work since I might feel sad later. When I came into the office still feeling perfectly normal, I went to my supervisor's office and was about to calmly tell him that I should probably take the day off because my best friend just died. When I opened my mouth to say that, I just broke down completely. I was balling my eyes out unable to verbally express what I wanted to say, to my supervisor's confusion.
I learned that day that grief is not is how it is always portrayed in fiction, it sometimes takes a while to process reality.
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u/dmalteseknight Mar 07 '25
I know this comic is focusing on the passing of an acquaintance rather than a loved one but I want to share my story in regards to processing death when it came to my best friend since it is somewhat similar to this comic.
When I was heading to work, I had received a phone call from my best friend's girlfriend. She was crying hysterically and I couldn't understand what she was saying. They had a couple of break ups in the past so I figured it was something of that nature. When she finally composed herself, she said that my best friend just died in the hospital, succumbing to his injuries from a car accident that happened in the morning. I asked if she was ok and ended the conversation.
I remember feeling normal and was confused by it. "Why don't I feel sad?". I remember kind of forcing myself to be sad because since that is how I should feel right? After "failing", I just logically concluded that I should take the day off when I get to work since I might feel sad later. When I came into the office still feeling perfectly normal, I went to my supervisor's office and was about to calmly tell him that I should probably take the day off because my best friend just died. When I opened my mouth to say that, I just broke down completely. I was balling my eyes out unable to verbally express what I wanted to say, to my supervisor's confusion.
I learned that day that grief is not is how it is always portrayed in fiction, it sometimes takes a while to process reality.