36 Comments
User's avatar
Yuko S.'s avatar

So beautifully written. <3

Lisa Jakub's avatar

Thank you for reading.

Dr. Paul Grewe's avatar

😢😢😢

Susan Jane McCulley's avatar

This is so beautiful, Lisa. And grieving can look differently from the outside (say, losing someone to dementia before they die) and feel the same on the inside. You describe it beautifully.

Lisa Jakub's avatar

Thank you, Susan. I appreciate you.

Susan Jane McCulley's avatar

And I love you like crazy.

Lisa Jakub's avatar

Love you right back!

Jill Strafaci's avatar

I lost my daughter suddenly last year. This is a wonderful, wonderful essay on grief. I'm so very sorry for the loss of your dear friend. Nine days was not nearly enough time to process the diagnosis, nevermind the death. Thank you so much for writing this.

Lisa Jakub's avatar

Oh Jill, that’s unfathomable. I’m so sorry.

Seth Arnopole's avatar

Thank you for writing this. Love you.

Lisa Jakub's avatar

Love you, too, Seth. Thank you for reading this.

Cathy Dalton's avatar

Lisa, I lost one of my closest friends a year ago and, as always, you are spot on. Thank you for putting it into such beautiful words. Sending you love and hugs!😘

Lisa Jakub's avatar

Cathy, I remember when that happened — I’m sorry for your loss, no doubt you still feel it. Sending love and hugs to you.

Seth Arnopole's avatar

I love you, Cathy!

Meg Macauley's avatar

Profound and heartbreaking and true and beautiful. Thank you for writing this, Lis… love you! 🫂💔❤️‍🩹

Aaron Sorensen's avatar

You distilled the experience of the aftermath of losing someone really well. It brought me to tears. I'm sorry for your loss. It sounds like you had a wonderful friendship. I hope you're doing well and have someone to talk to about your friend.

Lukas Heinser's avatar

I’m so sorry for your loss, but I hope you’ll find some comfort in knowing that you poured your broken heart into a wonderful text many people will relate to. I do. Thank you, Lisa! 🫶

Lisa Jakub's avatar

That's really kind, thank you Lukas. I appreciate you being here!

misused alien's avatar

Here's to being as mushy as possible. 💛

Kelly Macías's avatar

Thank you for being so vulnerable, Lisa. This is beautiful, heartbreaking, and important to name. I lost a dear friend in 2023. It is a gnawing, persistent grief that feels quite different from the loss of my grandfather and father in law and one that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough. I am sorry for your loss and hope your memories (and some sugar) bring you comfort.

Lisa Jakub's avatar

Thank you so much, Kelly. I’m sorry you’re familar with this sort of thing. Gnawing is such a perfect description. Sending you love. Thanks for being here.

Proudly🇨🇦Sue's avatar

You can guess the CTV Sunday afternoon movie I am watching. I haven't seen it since it was released; I was 31. I was curious to see what happened to the kids. Found your Substack poem, posted yesterday. I do hope it is fabrication though it appears a capture of real emotions.

Be well. ♥️

Lisa Jakub's avatar

I’m glad you found us, Sue. Nope, not fabrication at all, I write about my real life here. Thanks for the kind words and hope you enjoy this community.

Bill's avatar

Thank you for sharing. I’m sorry for your loss. 💔

Lisa Jakub's avatar

Thank you, Bill. Thanks for reading.

Virginia  Rieley's avatar

So beautiful and so true.

Lisa Jakub's avatar

Thank you, Virginia.

Matthew James Caci's avatar

Absolutely loved this. Loved the structure of how you wrote it and the message of course. Ive had a lot of life change the last few years and have gone through it for sure. Thanks for sharing. It's brilliant!

Lisa Jakub's avatar

I appreciate you reading, Matthew. Thanks for the kind words.

StephPea's avatar

Grief is such a strange emotion. Like when hilarious memories come flooding back to you in the midst of a half marathon and you start cackling to yourself, followed immediately by uncontrollable sobbing at the knowledge you can't create those memories anymore.

Thank you for so beautifully putting it into words. Much love you.

Lisa Jakub's avatar

It really is! And the catharsis that comes when running is really wild. Thanks for being here.