A reader mourns the death of a Friend

Dear Amy: I’ve been in a bad place, and I’m a little surprised at the reason: I am grieving over the death of Matthew Perry.

I couldn’t identify why I was feeling so low, until I finally realized that what I was feeling was grief.

How can you grieve someone that you never knew personally?

I think maybe it has to do with what I felt this person gave to me.

I just wish I could say, “Thank you for all the laughs!”

What is your perspective on this type of thing?

I’d love to know what you think.

— Hurting in California

Dear Hurting: As of this writing, the death of this beloved actor is still very new, and I can well understand why you (and many others) feel very real grief over this loss.

Actors, musicians, writers, and other cultural figures can make an indelible…