Losing Someone You Love

Dreea✨
Word Garden
Published in
4 min readJan 21, 2024

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Losing a loved one is an experience that profoundly transforms us, leaving an indelible mark on our lives.

The absence of my father, the first man who ever loved me, has been a challenging journey through grief over the past year.

About my dad

He was a reserved man who, despite his struggles, took immense pride in his daughters. While he rarely displayed his emotions, his love for us was evident in the way his face would light up when he would see us.

I once mentioned getting anger issues from him, and his unexpected reaction showed the depth of his self-hatred, a burden he never wanted us to carry.

As a child, I may have questioned my love for him, but the first time I saw him in pain, I cried.

It was then that I realized the true meaning of love — an unconditional affection that persists despite imperfections.

Expressions of emotion were rare for him, anger being an exception. I believe that it was a defense mechanism to avoid feeling vulnerable.

Recognizing the challenges he faced, I began to give him a warm hug every time I left or returned home, understanding that he needed it.

Those hugs, became everything to me.

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