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.