Week of April 15th- Assignment- Giving someone bad news

 Giving someone news they do not want to hear and sometimes cannot hear (meaning they cannot accept the truth, they are in denial of what they are being told) can be extremely difficult. Not only is it extremely difficult for the person being told the news, it is difficult for the person telling the news because they are exposed to the emotional reaction that stems from the person being told. This could lead to a meltdown by both people and things could get out of hand quickly if it becomes too much for the person(s) to handle. At the end of the day, you have to own up and break the news, no matter how bad you know the person will take it, it is best for it to come out right away and get it over with. It is especially important that it comes from your own mouth, as we saw in the book, important news did not come from the person it should have come from. We read that Wes and Tony went to their mothers house to celebrate their baby brother's first birthday. At this party Tony dropped the bombshell news report that Wes and Alicia are expecting to have a child. This completely caught Mary, their mother, off guard. It sent Mary into so much shock that after tensing up and nearly seemingly passing out, she simply reverted back to the birthday party celebration and nonchalantly asked “so who wants cake?” as if nothing had happened. (Moore 100-101)

Going back to my blog response from last week where I talked about the recent, sudden passing of my dog, I picked this prompt this week because this was something I had to do just last week. I had to be the one to break the news to my little sister and two older sisters that we had to unfortunately put our dog to rest. I told my two older sisters over the phone since they live far away. The harder part was walking to my little sister's room to tell her face to face. I had to keep my composure because I needed to be strong for her. I needed her to be able to cry to me while I stayed strong until we met our parents at the vet. I knew my sister would break down right away and not handle it well at all. She started balling her eyes out in her bed and I laid with her for a few minutes before we eventually left the house to go to the vet. This was certainly the hardest thing I have ever done in terms of having to pass news on something so sad. 

    I built up the courage by knowing I had to be the big, strong, tough brother she looks up to. I wanted to cry, I wanted to melt down, I really did. I knew I could not do that in front of her because it would only make her more emotional than she already was. I could not have that, I needed to be there for her. Both me and my dad kept our composure as long as we could. When my mother and sister went to bed that night, my dad and I stayed up a little longer downstairs and let it out to each other. We talked and cried to each other, while the ones we stayed strong for were out of sight and asleep. It is important to let your emotions out, that is how you properly grieve and cope. 

    Giving news as sad as this to people you love is never easy. Do not think you are weak for showing emotion when you have to give someone bad/sad news. It is okay to be just as upset as the person you are telling. We are all humans, we all have human emotion, it is natural. Be there for the ones that need you, and they will be there for you.