1. You find out who your home team is.
In Shauna Niequist's book, "Bittersweet,"it says, “Everybody has a home team: It’s the people you call when you get a flat tire or when something terrible happens. It’s the people who, near or far, know everything that’s wrong with you and love you anyways. These are the ones who tell you their secrets, who get themselves a glass of water without asking when they're at your house. These are your people, middle-of-the-night, no-matter-what people.”
If death does one thing, it brings people together. You can’t get through the sadness or the grief without someone on your side, cheering you on and pushing you through every day. Near or far, it’s your home team that keeps you together when you feel like your world is falling apart.
2. Troubles will come, and they will pass.
If you’ve ever listened to the infamous Lynyrd Skynyrd song "Simple Man," then you’re all too familiar with this quote. We can not avoid the troubles life gives us, but we can be at peace with the fact that one day they will pass.
3. It’s a new “normal.”
When my friend passed away, people told me time would heal my wounds and my life would somehow return back to normal. Well, that’s true, in a sense. But in all honesty, normal is different. Life is the same as before, except there’s a piece of my heart that’s always missing. All my friends are still the same, just a little bit closer. And it always feels like our group is not complete.
4. Tell the ones you care about that you love them.
Cliche, but very true. We never know when it is the last time we'll see our friends. No matter how angry you think you are, tell them you love them. It's a comforting thought to be left with.