Coping in Different Ways

There's a TV show called Degrassi that my mom and I have been obsessed with since my sister and I discovered it years ago. The first time we watched it, it was this super awkward episode about one of the main characters getting her period for the first time during school. Since we were young at the time, we immediately turned into a ball of giggles over such an uncomfortable topic being talked about so openly. I believe one of the slogans from the show a few seasons back was "Degrassi: it goes there." Clearly.

Anyway, there was a new episode last night about the funeral for one of the main characters, Adam. Throughout the video, I really related to his brother Drew. While everyone gave him advice to smile, focus on the positives, and move on by allowing himself to say goodbye, he felt completely alone and detached from that advice. All of his friends tried to do what was best for them, which meant sharing memories, laughing, and resolving to make the most of their lives from then on out. But for Drew it was different. He couldn't cope that way.

The link to the video is here, if you want to watch it ---> "Young Forever." It really helped me to watch Drew go through this loss and see the juxtaposition of his struggle and that of Adam's friends and girlfriend. This reminded me that there are so many different ways to cope. Just because one way is right for one person, doesn't mean it's the best for everyone.

The most powerful part for me was the ending. Drew asks his friend, "How do we move on?" and his friend answers, "By learning to say goodbye." In the next scene we see Drew looking at a picture of Adam and surprising himself and everyone there when he starts talking directly to him. At the end of his message he says, "I'm not going to (say goodbye) because to me you'll never be gone." And that's exactly how I feel too.