My father died last year, Thomas said. I still look for him in crowds. I'm sorry. He shrugged. I think grief is like a really ugly couch. It never goes away. You can decorate around it; you can slap a doily on top of it; you can push it to the corner of the room-but eventually, you learn to live with it.
In the book "Leaving Time" by Jodi Picoult, Thomas reflects on his father's passing last year, expressing a deep sense of loss. He admits that he still seeks his father in crowded places and acknowledges the ongoing pain of grief. The conversation highlights the enduring nature of grief and how it manifests in daily life.
Thomas likens grief to an unsightly couch that remains a permanent fixture in one’s life. Despite attempts to disguise or hide it, such as decorating around it or pushing it aside, one eventually learns to coexist with this sorrow. His metaphor captures the complexity and persistence of grief, suggesting it is something that one adapts to rather than fully overcomes.
