I felt nothing but numbness at my dad’s death – but then I read the book he gave me on my wedding day
Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood reminded me of my dad’s decency and mischief. I laughed as I cried, and realised there’s no right way to go through the grieving process I expected to break. But I felt nothing. I did not…
Source: The Guardian ·
Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood reminded me of my dad’s decency and mischief. I laughed as I cried, and realised there’s no right way to go through the grieving process I expected to break. But I felt nothing. I did not cry, nor struggle to sleep. I seldom thought of him. I felt only guilt about how little I felt. Ours was a complex relationship. As a teen, I often resented my dad, occasionally despised him. I expected the world and found disappointment. But, as I grew older, I understood that he had struggles of his own. I learned to appreciate his decency and humour, his ability to make everyone laugh with only a few words. I loved my dad, from the first time he held me to the last time I held him. But still, as weeks turned into months, I struggled to grieve. Then, when my partner and I rearranged our bookshelves, I found the first edition of Under Milk Wood that my parents gave us on…