When the Strong Become Unsteady There is a particular kind of grief that comes with watching someone who has always managed, quietly, reliably, without complaint, begin to fall out of step. These are the people who know how to push through. Who understand hierarchy and order. Who were taught, explicitly or implicitly, that pain is something to be assessed, endured, and moved past. They are not reckless; they are disciplined. They don’t dramatize discomfort. They simply adapt