Losing a parent is probably one of the hardest things I have endured. You wake up one day not knowing it will be the last time you hug and kiss your parent before they head to work. You spend your day thinking nothing of when your parent will return home, because its just another day. That is, until you hear the heart wrenching news. This ordinary day will forever be engraved into your head. You'll begin to think of all the things you never got to do or say. This sadly isn't the worst of it.

Holidays will always be hard, just expect it. You may even begin to dread them. For one, I absolutely hate Christmas since my dad passed; it's just never the same. There's one less person in the room, an empty place at the table, not to mention there's a warm smile missing from the family photo. Holidays become reminders that your parent is no longer there. No matter how many other family members are around, all you're going to want is to be alone. Holidays will become days were everyone tells old stories about your parent. This may begin to upset you or you may even resent some relatives. You resent them for having more memories than you, or for having had spent more time with them. You have to remember they were all around before you were born, it's not their fault. Try to remember that your family is there for you, because even if they act like they're fine they are hurting too.

Coming from a family of five children and losing a parent, I realized when your parent stops breathing you don't just lose that parent. You lose your family. That big happy family that's in all the photos from vacations, or on old Christmas cards is gone. There is a gaping hole in all of their hearts that can never be filled. Everyone slowly starts to drift apart. You see as time passes everyone will walk around on eggshells avoiding the topic in general. This doesn't mean that your family will completely fall apart, it simply means your family will be different. No matter what cherish every moment you have with your family.

Another thing, remember when you would get into an argument with your parents and afterwards you might have text your friends to say how much you hate them? Well from now on you'll realize just how much you didn't mean it. When you hear your friends talk about hating their parents it may make you angry, even upset. They will never be able to understand why it bothers you so much because they haven't felt the pain of losing their parent.

Lastly, yet most importantly, know that there is no time limit when it comes to grieving. Don't think that everyday when you wake up you won't miss them. But it all comes in waves. Sometimes the waves are small and easily handled, other times the waves feel more like a tsunami. Overtime you'll learn how to deal with it. Never be afraid of asking for help to deal with grief. Also keep in mind, though they may not be physically be here with you, you will always have the memories and photographs.

Losing a parent is life changing. No family will ever be the same after, but with time as everyone starts to heal, grief becomes more bearable.