Baseball is nothing if not all-American: families coming together, stadium lights, and dreams coming true. What the game doesn’t often represent, at least for fans, is pain, frustration, and failure. That’s what photographer Tabitha Soren wound up capturing over 15 years, though, as she followed draft picks for the Oakland A’s. In 2002, Soren (yes, of MTV News fame) began photographing the 23 young men who became the subject of her new book, Fantasy Life. (Soren’s husband, the author Michael Lewis, wrote the book Moneyball about the team.) Once she realized the unprecedented access she’d been granted—“I was in the showers, the dugouts, in their homes,” she says—she knew she had something unique on her hands.
What emerged over the course of that decade and a half were photographs, not just of the players, but of fans, ballparks, the lonesome road, and the evocative American sky, all of it conjuring the sweeping feelings of hope and endless possibility that marked the young men’s lives. And thanks to the length of time she spent on the project, Soren captured something even more profound; for some players, she documented the slow, painful process of their hopes being dashed.
“I thought they would all be part of the major leagues, but it turns out that only six percent get to the majors,” she says. “The series became a work about fallibility, the consequences of falling from grace and really losing the one thing that gave your life meaning, the thing you loved the most.”
For Soren, it all ties into the American dream. “I feel we have this optimistic but hypocritical idea in America that it can happen to you,” she says. “I saw these guys do everything right, and (in some cases), it still didn’t work out.”
Say goodbye or make amends.Image via Canva - Photo by Inna Postnikova
Friends recording on a camcorder.Image via Canva - Photo by capturenow
This is an AI-generated image using the language "A beautiful woman with long eyelashes and red lips surrounded by swirls of colorful makeup." AI/Canva/Elyssa Goodman 
Wiman hiding her face behind a bunch of cashCanva
A mansion and its reflection in the swimming poolCanva
Salzburg at nightCanva
Fancy homeCanva
Happy volunteersCanva
Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.