How to Say Goodbye Forever?

Loss is a part of life, a necessary part of living. But, I think it's the most challenging thing we ever face. Even in stories, there is a real sense of loss when a disconnection happens. Of course, the greatest of these is loss of a loved one: death. When something is lost that can never be recovered, that emotions flowing out from it is intense and very personal.

In the sense of stories, loss is very important. It's one of the fastest methods to generate deep feelings, sympathy, and also back story. Loss is a powerful character motivator, and we all understand it. Even better, it's difficult not to resonate with characters dealing with loss. Such emotions are wonderful for writers, since they can stir them up in all sorts of ways. As a reader, I love it, and can't get enough.

Visual mediums of storytelling can make those emotions that much stronger, because of the power of actors. We sympathize without knowing it, or maybe we want to and so encourage the connection. It's a sort of hypnosis, where we put ourselves in the story directly. That's pretty amazing, and when used to tell a story it can really bring zing to it.

- M