The five stages of grief personified Emma Hislop, Year 12 Denial Don’t trust anyone. Anyone. Except me… I will give you the truth, filling you with the warmth and comfort of your old life. Warmth the others only wish they could provide. Their lies will destroy every inch of your life, Annihilate. Exterminate. Eradicate. You will be left powerless, forced to watch every road, house and tree in your world go up in vicious flames. The smoke, as thick as the mattress you once shared with them, will fill your lungs. Every drop of hope, gone. You’re distressed about this ‘news’? Why? It isn’t reality. Come with me and you will never, ever, have to worry about anything. Nothing bad will ever happen with me around. Ever.
Anger Scream! Yell! You deserve to You want to punch the wall? Do it. They screwed you over. Let your clenched fist smash through the cheap drywall. It feels good doesn’t it… harness your rage. Your. Life. Is. Ruined. There is no way of filling the holes that they have left, and it’s ALL. THEIR. FAULT. You can feel it can’t you… The flames that are latching on to your ankles, piercing through your skin and running through your veins. Don’t fight the flames. Embrace them. You can breathe fire. Depression leaves you numb. Strips you of your ability to do the simplest of tasks. Roll out of bed, brush your teeth, is that really what you want? To be stripped of your ability to do the most basic tasks? Reduced to less than a child. I can save you from that.
Bargaining You can fix this. This isn’t the end. This. Isn’t. Over. If you just left the house five minutes later, if you just checked up on them, if you just loved them more, this wouldn’t have happened. They would still be here. Here filling your life with love, giving you a reason to get up in the morning, a reason to get dressed, a reason to leave the house, a reason to even live. Come with me… we can fix this together. Make everything right again. I know you are dreaming about them. Dreaming about them running back down the driveway into your arms. The innocent cry of joy they let out at your sight, the warmth of their embrace flowing through you, the soothing scent of their hair that lets you know you are home again. Come with me…I can give you that back. What happed is your fault. And you know it. The only way of fixing your mistakes is coming with me. You. Need. To. Fix. This.
Depression No matter how much you try and run from me, seeking shelter with other emotions, I will catch to you. You won’t see me coming, but I’m sneaking up on you with the stealth of a black dog, ready to swallow you whole, thrust you into the reality of your life. They are gone, And it isn’t going to get better. They aren’t coming back, And your life will never be the same again. Every bit of love they provided you with… Is gone. Think about your most beautiful memory with them… The sparkle of joy in their eyes. The echo of their innocent laugh. The warmth of their loving embrace. Hold on to that memory, Because that’s all you have left.
Acceptance Welcome. I knew you would make it. Bloody and wounded, but alive. You made it through the lies, the screaming, the blame, and the silence. It isn’t silent here— …just…quiet. Quiet and safe. Lay down your weapons. Weapons that you used bravely used to face each of your monsters, and take a deep breath. There’s no need to be afraid, angry, or guilty. For this doesn’t mean that you don’t miss them, love them, long for one last loving embrace. It simply means that you can rest now. Rest in the bed of love they will always have for you, no matter how far away they may seem. Welcome to acceptance.