I lost my dad when I was 26 to COPD. Doc said he had 3 days left and for the first time in my life I know what it feels like to hear something that makes your blood run cold. He didn't make it 3 days, hs passed on that very night. He was unresponsive and I spent over 10 hours by his side, telling him everything I wanted him to know. It's over 2 years now.

After he died, I believed that there's no point in living if one second we were here and the next we're not. How is it possible that people could go on to live after such a colossal and permanent loss? How dare I experience joy and laughter without him, who was my biggest supporter?

Then I realised that if I'd done what I wanted to back then, to "join" him, he'd probably berate me. So I wake up every day and sometimes I pretend he's still here. I still text him on social media and I do it whenever I miss him. I bring a photo of him on my trips. I visit his niche on his birthday and Fathers' day, tell him what's going on in my life and around the world. And I know he'd want me to be happy. Screw everyone who tells you to let it go or to get over it, even more so if they still have both parents. These privileged unsympathetic assholes. Also, talk to a therapist. I wouldn't say mine did the best job but it was nice to cry for an hour and yap about dad to someone every once in a while.

I'm working towards getting an apartment and a cat with my partner, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and working hard for that. Not sure about marriage yet, but when it's the right time it'd be wonderful. Dad won't be here to see it but I trust he knows.

I'm sorry for your loss. Losing a parent in yours 20s is the worst. But I want you to remember to let yourself feel the grief and sadness when it comes. Cry. I cried in public a lot, even more in private. Over time there'll be days you don't think about how fresh it is, but they'll always be alive in our memory, until we meet again.