What was your first experience of loss?

When I was 7 my parents took me to Thorpe Park (a theme park). It was my birthday and they bought me one of those shiny foil helium balloons. I was delighted. On the way home my aunt was supposed to be holding the balloon, but she wasn't, and when my nan opened the window my balloon was sucked out into the world. I was devastated. I watched it out of the rear window as it drifted into nothingness, and sobbed my heart out all the way home.