Last March, my girlfriend suggested we split the cable bill via Venmo, so I transferred $20 to her on the digital payment app—easy enough. Before the deal was done, prompted to leave a mandatory description, I dully wrote, “cable bill,” and shot it off. But as I scrolled through my public feed, absorbing the emoji-peppered activity log from my Venmo connections, I realized I was not only vastly underutilizing the comment section, but that I was missing out on a telling glimpse into my friends’ social lives. Instead of the carefully filtered Instagram posts and thinly veiled, humble-brag Facebook updates cobbling together a shiny illusion of my friends’ comings and goings, I was seeing their real social lives play out through the emerald-tinted lens of how they spent their money. Seeing these transactions meant it happened, monetarily and definitively—rent, concerts, dinners out, sly descriptions of “goods,” and more. I was hooked.
What’s more, Venmo removed the pressure from the occasionally awkward experience of dealing with money. Attaching an ironic or completely inane string of emoji or a silly metaphorical message to wire transfers makes Venmo almost ... pleasurable, whereas handing someone $60 in cash is painful to the point where I might put it off until it’s even more uncomfortable.
Still, for all of the modern generation’s touting of technology, mobile banking options have struggled to find traction. In 2015, just 12 percent of banking customers used a digital wallet, up from 7 percent in 2014. Blame the still rampant skepticism surrounding mobile payments, but Venmo’s genius integration of social engagement may be just the ticket to guiding users beyond security concerns and onto their platform. It’s the millennial feature everyone else missed, which may be one reason Venmo processed $2.5 billion in 2015’s fourth quarter, a 174 percent growth from the previous year.
When I see rent payments light up my feed every first of the month, it reassures me that I’m not the only one in my generation who still can’t plunk down a mortgage payment yet. This fiscal tidbit—and the fact that I know who had sushi together last night—are the little things that make Venmo so satisfying.
Say goodbye or make amends.Image via Canva - Photo by Inna Postnikova
Friends recording on a camcorder.Image via Canva - Photo by capturenow
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Wiman hiding her face behind a bunch of cashCanva
A mansion and its reflection in the swimming poolCanva
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Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
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.