You don’t have to be a noble victim

There is a weird tendency sometimes when we talk about victims of tragedy and loss. We tend to describe them in heroic or noble terms, emphasizing how they embraced their tragedy so “bravely” and with such grace.

Related: Notes for the Bereaved: You don’t have to be “Brave”

In essence, we put them on a pedestal.

How much of this is real though?

In reality, victims don’t have to fit a prescribed narrative. Tragedy and loss are hard, and real people handle these things in unique and individual ways.

You never have to fit the societal image of what a victim looks like. You get to be weird and fallible and human just like the rest of us.

Notes for the Bereaved:
You don’t have to be a noble victim.
You are allowed to be a fallible human being, just like the rest of the world.

Related Posts:

Miranda’s Blog: When you’re going through tough times, remember than life is about so much more than feel-good messages you read online
Notes for the Bereaved: You are under no obligation to turn tragedy into beauty

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