tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post1564458269413535612..comments2024-03-27T15:44:43.564-08:00Comments on What Do I Know?: Traces Of A LifeStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498066938213558757noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post-64375928578181817712015-07-25T09:21:13.110-08:002015-07-25T09:21:13.110-08:00Thank you, Barbara, for stepping in with a reply. ...Thank you, Barbara, for stepping in with a reply. I know many readers here must wonder if they can reply in a way meaningful in this conversation. Of course we can. You have.<br /><br />I would add that my own mother spent years making the decision about life's clutter for us -- she got rid of much of her life's collected treasures. I found her one day, thinking of throwing out years of my father's kodachrome slides after he had died. She didn't want to 'trouble' us with them.<br /><br />My oldest brother has them now through a bit of family drama and won't share them with his brothers. Maybe she sensed something, as it hurts times not having access to those slides, so many good memories. My father was quite a good photographer as he had an artist's eye for composition. I've been told to let it be...<br /><br />My point in all of us is to say we can grieve when holding the things that are memory-rich and we can grieve not holding them as well. My mother chose to 'save' her children (from what I can guess is Steve's process). But I also know, to the last breath of her life, she kept a very private person, and it was her need not to trouble us with memories that I wish we had been given the choice to remember.<br /><br />Gotta love your parents. I know mine did their best. And Steve, sorry to take my comments into a discussion about you as if you weren't here to read it. But you are here so I can say, claim the feelings you experience; they're what are given you of her, your brother, father, and what is precious, more than any object you may hold.<br /><br />Peace.Jacob Dugan-Brausehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06287631724339961459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post-88090905217958526442015-07-25T06:17:03.502-08:002015-07-25T06:17:03.502-08:00So sorry about your mum. Your post reminded me of ...So sorry about your mum. Your post reminded me of holding my late mother's things tenderly. She imbued objects with her essence, I am sure, so it's hard to know what to do with these treasures. It's part of the grieving process to acknowledge this and be grateful for these things. Put aside time a specific time every day to do this (thinking about he, really grieving) and it will make the administration part of your day easier. <br /><br />If she was like you, she must have been a wonderful person.Barbara Carlsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05463074148195784152noreply@blogger.com