The Moments That Take You Back
They sneak up on you.
The memories you never saw coming.
One minute you’re driving home, making dinner, answering emails.
The next, something catches you off guard.
A song.
A familiar smell.
A place you haven’t thought about in months.
And suddenly you’re back there.
You can picture their face.
You hear their laugh.
You remember a conversation you hadn’t thought about in years.
For a moment, the distance between then and now disappears.
Sometimes the memories make you smile.
You remember something they said, an inside joke, or one of those moments that seemed so ordinary at the time but now mean everything.
Other memories are much harder.
The hospital room.
The phone call.
The goodbye you never wanted to say.
Those memories don’t ask if you’re ready.
They show up while you’re standing in line at the store, sitting in a meeting, or lying awake long after everyone else has gone to sleep.
And when they do, it can feel like you’ve been pulled right back into the hardest part of your loss.
Grief has a way of bringing those moments back when you least expect them.
The memories will always be there.
Some will make you laugh.
Some will bring tears.
Most will do a little of both.
And if one catches you off guard today, know you’re not the only one.
It’s part of loving someone who is no longer here.
If you’ve enjoyed my writing here, What Remains brings together many of my most meaningful pieces in one place. It’s a collection of writings about grief, love, loss, and the lasting connections that remain.
Available now on Amazon