Death

Death is a loss unlike any other.

It's not a "door closed, window open" kind of thing. There's no silver lining ahead. Life is not going to offer something better because we've lost Dave.

Houses can be rebuilt. New jobs can be acquired. A lousy break up can ultimately lead you to someone better.

But there's no new brother that will magically appear and fill the spot that is now permanently empty in my family. There's no bright side for parents who have lost their only son. How does a wife face a future without her soulmate?  And there's nothing good to be said about 2 boys who will barely even remember their Daddy.

My brother was 35. Only 2 years older than me. He'd done so much already, but still had so much more to do. I don't think I'll ever understand.