ACCEPTANCE:

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One of the most frustrating stages of acceptance is the bargaining
stage. In denial, there is bliss. In anger, there is some sense of
power. In bargaining, we vacillate between believing there is
something we can do to change things and realizing there isn't .

There are stories about attempts to bargain with the alcoholic's
drinking: "If I keep the house cleaner, he won't drink … If I buy my
son a new car, he'll stop using drugs."

We do big, small, and in-between things, sometimes crazy things, to
ward off, stop, or stall the pain involved with accepting reality.

There is no substitute for accepting reality. That's our goal. But
along the way, we may try to strike a deal. Recognizing our
attempts at bargaining for what they are – part of the grief process
– helps our lives become manageable.