Leaning against my father, the sadness finally broke open inside me, hollowing out my heart and leaving me bleeding. My feet felt rooted in the dirt. There were more than two bodies buried here. Pieces of me that I didn't even know were under the ground. Pieces of dad, too.
This quote powerfully captures the raw emotional turmoil experienced in the aftermath of trauma or intense grief. The act of leaning on one's father symbolizes seeking support and comfort amid overwhelming feelings. Yet, even in this gesture, there's a profound sense of vulnerability—an acknowledgment that some wounds are so deep that they threaten to unearth buried pain, buried secrets, perhaps longstanding family issues. The phrase "the sadness finally broke open" suggests a breaking point—where suppressed feelings surface uncontrollably. The imagery of the heart being hollowed out and bleeding evokes a visceral representation of heartbreak, loss, and emotional erosion. The rooted feet in the ground symbolize a struggle between being anchored in reality and feeling overwhelmed by the weight of inner turmoil. Mentioning
