That says a lot about the impact each of them had on your life. People often assume grief is about blood, but more often it’s about connection. We mourn the people who showed up, who loved us, who made us feel seen and safe. And sometimes, when a parent has caused more pain than comfort, what we grieve isn’t their loss—it’s the relationship we wish we could have had. There is no rule that says your feelings toward both parents have to be equal. Every relationship writes its own story. One may have earned your tears. The other may have left behind wounds instead of memories. That’s not bitterness. That’s the reality of how different people can shape our lives.