Alan Gastelum
(Photo Editor)
is a filmmaker, photographer, and volunteer for City Parks Foundation’s Partnerships for Parks in New York City, where, since 2011, he’s been compiling a photographic archive of the East River Park.
Amanda Fortini
(“The Great Surrender”)
has written for The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and Wired. She currently lives in Montana, which inspired her story about the incredible power of the natural world. Next year, she will be living in Las Vegas, where nature will be a bit harder to find.
Eli Tetteh
(Serge Attukwei Clottey profile)
is a humanities lecturer at Ashesi University. A freelance writer and editor, he has been published in DUST and nKENTEn. According to Tetteh, “Attukwei’s workshop has the languorous air of a suburban rec center.”
Scottie Cameron
(Homily photo illustrations)
is a photographer with an emphasis on collaboration with designers and art directors. Known for his use of graphic compositions, he uses organic materials and store-bought objects in his works.
Timothy Goodman
(Interstitials)
is a designer, illustrator, and art director running his own studio in New York City. In 2013, Goodman, with Jessica Walsh, co-created a personal project called “40 Days of Dating,” which was recently turned into a book optioned by Warner Bros.
Lillian Suwanrumpha
(“Buddha’s Hand”, photos)
is a photojournalist based in Bangkok whose work has appeared in The Guardian and The Daily Beast. While photographing Bangkok’s red-light district for GOOD she was given an honorary stripper name Dok Bua (lotus).
Winston Struye
(“Our City is Devastated. We Are Not.”)
is an artist and teacher who works with underserved teens in New York City as part of the Slideluck Youth Initiative, and with teens internationally as part of the National Geographic Student Expeditions Scholarship Program.
Lara Vapnyar
(“Buddha’s Hand”)
is the author of two novels and a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship. Her stories and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Harper’s. She has destroyed many Buddha’s hands in her life.
Krishna Hari Dulal
(Cover Photo)
is a 19-year-old student living at the ROKPA Children’s Home in Kathmandu, Nepal. Says Dulal of the cover image: “I took this picture not only to show the effect created by the earthquake, but also to show the people brave enough to deal with it.”
Wiman hiding her face behind a bunch of cashCanva
A mansion and its reflection in the swimming poolCanva
Salzburg at nightCanva
Fancy homeCanva
Happy volunteersCanva
Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
Juicy subject matter
Giphy from The Blacklist.
We could start a rumor.
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.