How did you grieve when you lost your parent(s)?

About 7 years ago I received a phone call at work from my mother informing that my father had unexpectedly died in his sleep the night before.

The news truly hit me like a thief-in-the-night.

I was stunned for what seemed like forever but in reality it was perhaps a second. Time came to a halt. And then when I processed what she has just told me, I was inconsolable for about 15 minutes while sitting alone in my car. I couldn't even speak words. Every moment shared with my father flashed thru my mind. Regrets flooded my heart. I wished I would've called him more often. The finality of the news was too much to process.

My boss insisted that I go home but I insisted on staying at work. The last thing I wanted to do was go home and sit in silence with only my thoughts to keep me company. I'd rather be distracted by work than spend the next 7 hours contemplating my father's untimely death.

That was the best decision I made. Work allowed me to come back to Earth forcing me to focus on things unrelated to the tragic news while at the same time working thru the grief in my own way.

I made peace with myself and my father that day. It was a struggle, but it was something that I had to do. I made a commitment to move on as quickly as possible. I knew in my heart that the last thing my father would've wanted is his children unable to move on from his death.

I chose to immediately move on and leave my father in the past, which at this point enables me to freely discuss his death without emotional distress.

My advice to people when faced with the death of a loved one: Attempt to make peace and move on as soon as possible regardless of how monumental that task seems at that time.