i called it a weighted blanket, that uneasy comfortable feeling of the familiar void. the old you is gone, healing means moving on to newer things, but it's unknown whether they will be better or worse than before. sometimes i'm scared there won't be anything when i finally move on, and instead, there's just nothing.
"weighted blanket" is such an incredible way to describe it. i understand that fear of stepping into the unknown, of not being sure if what comes next will feel better or if there will just be emptiness. it’s scary to feel like maybe there’s nothing more after that, but it really does get better, even when everything feels uncertain. sometimes, it’s hard to see the path ahead when you’re right in the middle of it.
the way you capture the all-consuming nature of grief is incredibly beautiful and moving! it breaks my heart hearing the hopelessness you feel at grief's hand--something anyone experiencing grief has been forced to come face-to-face with. the sad, yet freeing, reality of grief and loss is that we can never get back what we had (yes, freeing!). too often we feel stuck because we attempt to fill this hole with whatever takes the shape of what we lost. this is our mistake, as trying to do so will inevitably fail. some of us continue repeating this process our entire lives, riddled with echoes of unfulfillment, forever dedicating our efforts toward resenting the factors leading to this absence in the first place. how could we not? we aren't taught otherwise, nor given the space to as consumers and workers under capitalism. nevertheless, we CAN achieve fulfillment, contrary to the feelings that enslave us in the present; not by filling the hole of what once was, but my accepting the hole as a part of our reality. letting the absence inform and inspire us as we engage with reality as it exists in front of us, rather than hyper-fixating on things of the past we cannot control.
I was actually writing a journal entry on this today and needed to reflect and ground myself, so I appreciate you providing the space for me to do so <3
the entire paragraph with "These are the moments others take for granted, the ones where someone is meant to stand by you, watching as things change, as life moves forward. But that space remains empty." is probably one of my favorites. if it were a book, the entire section would be underlined. also sorry for all the quotes i'm about to do on this one i have SO SO SO many thoughts on grief and love.
What a gorgeous, gorgeous piece. And incredibly healing. As someone who is now stepping away from the veil of grief that’s been over my head for the last two years, I cannot even explain how much this resonates. The way you described how grief sits in the body (between the shoulder blades chef’s kiss) is so accurate. Well done, Daphne!
I'm reading while I'm in the process of grieving or getting ready to grieve and literally in the middle of a emotional breakdown, you made me stop crying.
this is so vulnerable but not it in a way that makes it feel uncomfortable but rather im awed because of how beautifully you’ve managed to place grief into words
thank you so much for saying that! it means a lot. grief is such a hard thing to put into words, and hearing that it connected with you in a meaningful way makes me feel so understood.
i could quote so much of this that is brilliant, that is also felt by me, that i would be copy pasting the whole piece...
what comes up for me as i read, is that, you have something of Chiron about you, and it is beautiful and appreciated... and i think you are so very sensitive and strong, and giving and gifted.
thank you for your kind words! it means so much to me that you connect with what i write and feel it in your heart. being compared to chiron is a beautiful thought.
I want to quote all the parts that I felt and resonated with but I’d practically include everything that you wrote. And I know that this piece is vulnerable, possibly pulled out from the depths of walls and cages built around it, but it tugged on all my heart strings. I really loved how you illustrated how lonely grief feels. Something that’s always there but isn’t. Thanks for this!
i called it a weighted blanket, that uneasy comfortable feeling of the familiar void. the old you is gone, healing means moving on to newer things, but it's unknown whether they will be better or worse than before. sometimes i'm scared there won't be anything when i finally move on, and instead, there's just nothing.
"weighted blanket" is such an incredible way to describe it. i understand that fear of stepping into the unknown, of not being sure if what comes next will feel better or if there will just be emptiness. it’s scary to feel like maybe there’s nothing more after that, but it really does get better, even when everything feels uncertain. sometimes, it’s hard to see the path ahead when you’re right in the middle of it.
the way you capture the all-consuming nature of grief is incredibly beautiful and moving! it breaks my heart hearing the hopelessness you feel at grief's hand--something anyone experiencing grief has been forced to come face-to-face with. the sad, yet freeing, reality of grief and loss is that we can never get back what we had (yes, freeing!). too often we feel stuck because we attempt to fill this hole with whatever takes the shape of what we lost. this is our mistake, as trying to do so will inevitably fail. some of us continue repeating this process our entire lives, riddled with echoes of unfulfillment, forever dedicating our efforts toward resenting the factors leading to this absence in the first place. how could we not? we aren't taught otherwise, nor given the space to as consumers and workers under capitalism. nevertheless, we CAN achieve fulfillment, contrary to the feelings that enslave us in the present; not by filling the hole of what once was, but my accepting the hole as a part of our reality. letting the absence inform and inspire us as we engage with reality as it exists in front of us, rather than hyper-fixating on things of the past we cannot control.
I was actually writing a journal entry on this today and needed to reflect and ground myself, so I appreciate you providing the space for me to do so <3
the entire paragraph with "These are the moments others take for granted, the ones where someone is meant to stand by you, watching as things change, as life moves forward. But that space remains empty." is probably one of my favorites. if it were a book, the entire section would be underlined. also sorry for all the quotes i'm about to do on this one i have SO SO SO many thoughts on grief and love.
hi, wenyi! thank you so much for reading this and appreciating it so much 🥹 it is definitely one of my most vulnerable works.
The *thing* i relate to this is maybe different but the way I felt every word is indescribable.
You write amazingly
thank you so much for reading! 🥺
What a gorgeous, gorgeous piece. And incredibly healing. As someone who is now stepping away from the veil of grief that’s been over my head for the last two years, I cannot even explain how much this resonates. The way you described how grief sits in the body (between the shoulder blades chef’s kiss) is so accurate. Well done, Daphne!
DAPHNE THIS IS SO AHH, THIS IS MAKING ME FEEL SO MUCH!!! THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL
shyam!!! 🥺 i'm so happy to see you here! i'm so so grateful that you liked itttt
i have been re-reading it its so so so so so so so so good
thank you 🥺🤍
I'm reading while I'm in the process of grieving or getting ready to grieve and literally in the middle of a emotional breakdown, you made me stop crying.
This is beautiful 🧡
this is so vulnerable but not it in a way that makes it feel uncomfortable but rather im awed because of how beautifully you’ve managed to place grief into words
thank you so much for saying that! it means a lot. grief is such a hard thing to put into words, and hearing that it connected with you in a meaningful way makes me feel so understood.
Beautifully expressed. As it, paradoxically, often is - I’m sure you ease the burdens of numerous people just by writing this.
thank you! there's nothing i would love more than to ease people's hearts, to wrap their worries in gentle words and let them breathe a little easier.
Thank you for giving this words 🥺💔❤️🩹
thank you for reading this and holding it so tightly to your heart 🤍
💔...❤️🩹
i could quote so much of this that is brilliant, that is also felt by me, that i would be copy pasting the whole piece...
what comes up for me as i read, is that, you have something of Chiron about you, and it is beautiful and appreciated... and i think you are so very sensitive and strong, and giving and gifted.
thank you for your kind words! it means so much to me that you connect with what i write and feel it in your heart. being compared to chiron is a beautiful thought.
You've taken my bottled thoughts, unscrewed the lid, and the spillage is all I see. Thank you for showing this in such an intimate way.
I think I will keep coming back to this piece because it resonates with me so much as someone who's still grieving!
This is written so beautifully, I'm at a loss for words. Truly.
I want to quote all the parts that I felt and resonated with but I’d practically include everything that you wrote. And I know that this piece is vulnerable, possibly pulled out from the depths of walls and cages built around it, but it tugged on all my heart strings. I really loved how you illustrated how lonely grief feels. Something that’s always there but isn’t. Thanks for this!