h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The most helpful way for me to cope with my father's death was to start an allotment garden. He was always a keen gardener and I remember him teaching me about growing vegetables, so I am now doing all the things he used to do. I give away a lot of the veg - he used to do that too. The peacefulness of gardening has helped, but also the understanding of other allotment gardeners, who have sometimes suffered their own bereavements too.

When my father died suddenly when I was 19, I learned the best way to deal with his death was by taking care of my mother. I saw that it was my responsibility to help her through. But when my mother died 6 years later, I found it harder to deal with, she had been also my support through the death of dad, and my best friend.
My support through her death were the photo albums she had left behind in my care. At first I would cry and cry as I looked through them, but I found that I felt better, remembering what was. And even though it's been two years, I still look through them, but now along with the crying, I laugh at all the fun times we had.