Today, I reflected on the significance of grief in my life.
I first experienced grief when I lost my high school best friend Diane in a car accident in 2008. It was devastating to lose a sister-figure at such a young age as we have just graduated from university back then.
Diane was a freshman at Ateneo Law School and had a promising future ahead of her. I mourned the loss of a very good friend. At the same time, I mourned the loss of Diane’s future as a successful lawyer.
It was difficult to move on from that incident because Diane was the designated sensible friend in our group. She was the first person I would call for advice. Losing her meant having to find the answers to my own questions. And by now, I can say that losing Diane has turned me into a self-assured individual.
I mourned the loss of my father in 2019. He died of cancer. By that time, I already knew how to handle grief. It was not easy, but I gave myself space and time to mourn.
There were good days, and then there were bad days. Whenever grief would hit me hard, I would find comfort in productive activities such as workouts and crochet projects. I prayed whenever I felt hopeless. And I thanked God when days were filled with sunshine, and I would remind myself to also do the same in times of darkness.
Grief is simply a part of life. It has taught me how to keep on fighting in honor of those who have gone before me!