My close friend kept telling me, “You need to move on,” and though it felt impossible, I eventually found a way to cope. She was always there for me, offering comfort when my grief felt unbearable. Two months later, she suddenly moved to another state for a new job.

It happened so quickly that I barely had time to process her leaving. Though I missed her, I was glad she was chasing new opportunities. One day, I decided to make a surprise visit to see her.

When she opened the door, she froze, her face pale and her hands trembling. Concerned, I stepped inside and what I saw nearly made me faint. There, in her living room, was a small memorial she had created for my son.

His favorite toys were carefully arranged, a candle flickered softly, and framed photos of him were placed around the room. Tears filled my eyes as I realized what this meant: while she had been encouraging me to heal, she had been quietly carrying her own grief all along. She confessed through tears that she had loved my son like her own and had moved away not to escape me, but to hide her pain so I could begin to heal without feeling her burden.

In that moment, I understood the depth of our bond. Grief had taken so much from both of us, but it had also shown me the power of love and friendship. We cried together, finally sharing the sorrow we had both been holding inside.

Sometimes, the people who push us to move forward are hurting just as deeply—they just do it in silence.