I am surprised when, although it has been over four years since our son died of a heroin overdose, memories surface and grief follows. The surprise comes because the memories seem to come ‘out of the blue’, from no particular trigger and for no particular reason.
My husband just had a memory that was triggered when he heard our seven year old granddaughter express trepidation over seeing a bird that had died and fallen into the back yard. It was as if our son was seven again, full of wonder and normal childhood fears. His voice, his emotions, him.
I have had memories of our son as I’ve been working in our daughter’s garden or driving to the grocery store. JL as a young adult, just his face in some everyday interaction, triggering the sadness that he is no longer on this earth, part of our life, living the life that most 29 year olds are living.
It seems that memories don’t need a reason to rise to the surface from out of our hearts. Our son has been in our hearts since the day he was born and he continues to live there. It is the strongest ‘evidence’ we have that life does not stop after we die and physically leave the land of the living. We are eternal beings and I am very thankful for that.
Opiate Nation 
So very true Jude, the people we love never really die….they live on though all the lives they touch here on Earth….I feel every person I have loved that has passed on through so many tangible ways….a special song I hear, a certain smell, a sound…..it can all make it seem as if they are right there with me and it always brings me such comfort. Our memories are what sustain us…..
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Love is indeed eternal. Your memories of your son JL touched my heart.
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Thank you.
You said what I feel, too.
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