Clichés and Idioms

I always thought clichés were just... so cliché. I’ve been taught to avoid them when writing. But when you experience them firsthand, you begin to understand why they suffer from long overuse - simply because they are true. “Immeasurable grief.” “Unbearable sadness.” “Depths of despair.” “Gut-wrenching pain.”

I even understand clearly for the first time why a father is referred to as “haligi ng tahanan” - “pillar of the house”. Why I have this shaky, unhinged feeling since you left. Because I miss you, Daddy. My pillar of strength, my calming force.