By Hannah Mepham, whose dad David Mepham died in October 2018
Hannah Mepham and her dad
It’s not like the movies
Movies definitely show death and grief from a very rose-tinted perspective. And that’s not to say that there won’t be beautiful, melancholy, spiritually eye-opening moments, but those moments are fleeting and rare. You probably wont cry on top of a cliff while the sun sets behind you. I know it’s sad - I was disappointed too.Get a cat
Let’s be honest: cats are perfect. Just don’t get three. They’ll stress each other out and then piss everywhere. Gotta love em though.Everything you feel is temporary
You might not feel anything at all sometimes. It’s shit but so is terminal illness. It is okay to forget that you are sad. You can be happy. You can laugh. You can not think of stuff for a while. You can drown in your sorrows. You are not obliged to be sad. Just like you are not obliged to be happy. Just remember: Everything you feel or don’t feel is temporary.Music cures almost everything
Put your headphones and turn your music to full volume. Even if you don’t feel happy, music can make you cry, laugh, shout, dance and sometimes you just need to feel something. If all else fails, play your music so loud it’s deafening and shout the lyrics at a wall. I don’t know why - it just helps.Saltwater is magic
Sweat, tears or the sea. Or stand in the shower. For an hour.
About Hannah Mepham
Hannah was born in 2005. She has 3 cats and is her happiest when she is in the sea. She misses her dad and likes to continue his activism by going to lots of protests with her best friend Rhonja.
