I’m so glad to hear that my story gave you some comfort. It was very cathartic for me to share it, for sure. It’s now been four years for me, and the grief has changed a lot. While I am still struck some days–out of nowhere–with a sense of deep loss and sadness, those occasions are rare and instead I find my self often smiling with sweet memories of Mom and Dad, thoughts of how wonderful life must be for them now, and thankfulness that I could be with them both when they stepped into eternity. How wonderful that you and your children are there for your Dad. I hope you have precious moments with him daily. (Trust me, I know it’s very draining and difficult to be his caregiver. You are truly a wonderful daughter to take on the responsibility.) I know my Dad found great joy in sharing memories with us. It tired him, so we just kept it to one question a night, when we were sitting in front of the fire after dinner I would bring out a memory journal (preprinted with questions for grandparents) and I am so so thankful that I documented his replies… I learned so many wonderful things I had not known before. ❤️

Thank you Edith. I truly appreciate you taking the time to comment. It helps a lot knowing that writing about it has touched a few lives.

I’m very raw to such sweet stories as that of your grandparents, Lauren. I truly would love to meet him. Not only to hear stories of his beautiful bride but also of his time serving in the military! Please consider writing down some of both stories, while he’s still with you, so you can ask him the questions that will inevitably service. And thank you very much for taking the time to comment. When it’s so very hard to pen certain words, it means so much when others tell us our words touched them in some way.

Thank you, Sammi. Today was a pretty good day. Well, for the most part… There were certainly moments of very deep loneliness, as there has been every day recently, but I was also struck today by the overwhelming sheer joy of the fact that two of the people I love most, the two people I’ve known the longest, the two people who knew me the best and yet loved me the strongest… those special people will NEVER AGAIN have one moment of sadness. Not one. That thought made me deeply joyful. 🙂 But thank you for letting me know that the fact that I’ve spilled my grief out in written words has blessed someone else. That means a lot to me.

Thank you Tracey.