The pain we feel when someone close to us leaves this life is both common/universal and unique/intimate. We all know it happens to everyone, but it's always a unique experience for each of us. It helps some of us to believe the person's energy is eternal and has merely transitioned. We will always feel the bond we share with the person, and draw strength from the ability to feel such love. Feeling pain isn't always a negative experience, in this sense. Perhaps the greatest difficulty is to remain open and willing to continue to develop such close ties, knowing they will become painful.