Butch, can't even imagine losing a parent. When faced with losing my Mom over the last few years it is hard to process at 28-30 years old let alone being 15. I think the only thing harder than burying a parent is probably a wife/husband or son/daughter. It drastically changes your life and perspective. Being a fairly faithful reader of kisrael reading your thoughts about how your father's passing changed your life and thinking back that we were friends at that time, I realize how poor of a friend I was and how much more support you needed at that time. Stay strong my brother, Mt. Sinai rulez!!
Burying a child, your child, is the worst.Absolute, hands down, no question worst.
Beau, dude, you were a fine friend. You might think that we didn't relate on some deep emotional supportive level or something, but like no guys that age are really ready to do that well.
Butch, guess that is true, just tough to look back on ... You look back and realize how incapable you are at handling situations. The wisdom that - "should" - come with age is a precious thing.
Tough for guys, at least me, to do that on a deep emotional level now.
Didn't really realize it until now ... seems thatyour mortality for skeptics has always been prominantly displayed on this page.
S'true, thought that's more about coping with neuroses and anxisties about my own demise.
Thanks for writing this - it's given me a good insight into the way someone I live with is behaving right now.
Glad it helped.
I'd be interested in hearing if the death/helpless to help thing was the possibly parallel bit, or if it was just the classic "men are from mars" cave retreat. But obviously that might impinge on your (or the other person's) privacy, so it's up to you what you're comfortable sharing.