It's okay to grieve for a long time. It's not okay to involve innocent strangers in your grief when they have done nothing to invite themselves into it -- like the mother of the LW who got checkout cashiers involved. It's also not okay to insist that other member's in the deceased's circle grieve as deeply as you are.

I am sorry to hear of your loss, but I have to wonder why you are crying in front of other people after 8 months. Whatever happened to going to a room to be by yourself when you want to cry?

I'd also question the assertion that grief counselling is ineffective unless the bereaved is suicidal. I went for counselling when my father died when I was 13, and the counselling was excellent and very helpful. It all depends on how you're grieving and what kind of counsellor you get.

Therapy isn't so bad, you know.