My dad died suddenly from a car accident 4 years ago. I had been on a trip to Boston and was home less than an hour when the trooper pulled in my driveway. I was 18, he was in a coma for 2 weeks before he passed. I spent every night at the hospital and drove back home every day. I don’t remember much of it because it was such a numb blur, although I do recall that I literally did not sleep for over a week. That was the worst thing ever. It seemed to drag on endlessly
It’s been hard ever since and I was lost for a while there, about 2 years have no clue what I was doing really. I got into this hobby a year after he died when I decided to build the game room, which is modeled after his living room. He owned two of those little pachislo slot machines, and they reminded me of an arcade.
It’s taken off since then and now I own too many already. I’m buried with projects. He was a man of many trades and he had LOTS of tools. Now I use all those tools and skills I learned in the hobby and it’s really helped me immensely with coping and moving on. Living and using his things every day make me feel a lot better. I’ve finally been able to laugh again and go back out and spent time with friends.
Grief takes its natural course and we have to work through it. The hardest thing for me was to force myself to go out and and still do what I loved. The Depression that comes with loss is sneaky and I didn’t suspect it for a long while. Just keep on keeping on, and try to remember that while you may not want to do anything, you’ll feel better if you make yourself go out and have a good time.
I wish you the best in such a difficult time during the holidays.