Heartaches and Memories

“Death leaves Heartache no one can heal

But Love leaves Memories no one can steal”

From an Irish Headstone

15 words spoken to me when I had the long coming yet sudden loss of my father

15 simple words practically dripping, and oozing with meaning, and truth

No one can heal your heartache especially after a death

Nothing truly helps except time

And memories

Everything else is empty words, and cliches

Banality given form

Because no words that anyone says can truly help

No grand speeches

No heartfelt epithets

You’re left with a gaping hole in your life

And mountains of memories hopefully

Vast quantities of belongings to sift through

But it’s the memories and the keepsakes

That trigger those memories that carry you through

I remember vacations to the Caribbean on cruises

Which I have keepsakes from that were my dads

Shirts that he bought and wore all the time

That make me remember his voice

His laugh

His smile

And his zeal for life

His strength

I have a metal plane model/ toy

From somewhere around the 1930s or 40’s

That I found hidden in the dirt of a field in England

When I was on a work trip with him that made me remember that amazing trip

The love and attention he gave after long days of overtime spending the day with us

Exploring castles and England

Memories and keepsakes

Are all I’m left with

His presence is gone but sometimes I still feel him when I tough something that holds a memory

That brings things rushing back

All this to say Make memories with the ones you love

Take pictures with you in them

Even if you’re usually the one who takes the pictures of everyone else

Or you think you look horrible

Cause someday that’ll be all that’s left