Comfortless Fiction And The Comforting Facts
The phrase “a comforting fiction” is a particularly interesting one. It is commonly used in situations in which a fairytale seems preferable to reality. When, for example, a triggering event like the tragic loss of a loved one occurs, the fact of the death is impossible to deny. Yet, that fact may feel too cold, too stark, too heavy to bear. There is fear that its mere acknowledgement may—and more than likely would—overwhelm the bereaved’s defenses. The resulting ground rush of grief and pain…