Bereavement

Denisse's maternal grandmother has just passed away.

I agonized over whether to call Aunt Mae to offer my condolences. I wanted to, but i feared i wouldn't know what to say.

I did. Because it felt right. I had to mix English in the Canto, because i really dislike the Chinese standard 節哀順變 which literally means "cut the grief short and adapt to change".

It's bogus! Totally insensitive and invalidating. If i was suffering the loss of someone close i'd be like "Who are you to tell me when to stop grieving, muthafucka?! I'll accept when i'm good and ready!"

There's nothing you can say to relieve the pain, really. Don't even go "They're in a better place." What do you know? Have you been?

"Sorry for your loss" seems simple and sincere. I went with that.