I chime in to say "the latter" with pretty much everyone else.

Granted this year has already been deliciously sucktastical in terms of dealing-with-death trauma already, but it does leave me in an excellent position to keenly appreciate the difference in the way I get choked up on contemplating my favorite (Xenosaga) character's death versus getting choked up, locking my jaw, and wanting to crawl into bed and never come out over a close family member dying.

(The perceived callousness is an attempt to keep myself from coming off as throwing a pity-me party down here; just making a point, not asking for sympathy. ;) Oyez.)