Chief Illiniwek - 5/2/2024 10:02

Since Gene is gone I’ll post this. I kept it to myself because at the end of the day, grief is grief and I also have never lost a spouse. But for myself only I lose patience for those who day after day talk extensively of losing a loved one who, even though it hurts and may feel it was before their time, lived a fairly long life. To me, those people have never lost a very important person at a very young age. When someone 60+ passes, it hurts but they got to be there for so much. The hurt of the loss is huge but there’s comfort in the time you got, the memories you shared. And if spiritual the comfort of seeing them again soon. When someone young passes, like a child, well it’s just different to me. I’ve had friends who 6 months after a 90+ year old grandparent passed were still moping about it. And I suppose that’s their right, and wonderful they had such a deep love and connection with that grandparent. But for myself, I don’t have a ton of patience to console them.

Edit: and I’m not even directing this at Gene’s situation necessarily, it’s more just a commentary on the loss of 60+ year olds vs children and young adults, the kinds of grief experienced, and patience for hearing out that grief.