It’s all about the Little Things April 27, 2022 – Posted in: Celebrant

Little hugs can dry big tears,

Little candles can light the darkness

Little memories can last for years.

It’s always the little things in life that bring the greatest happiness.  –  Anon

It has always struck me as strange the things that we remember – not just about our past but also about the people our paths have crossed.

When we hear of the death of someone we knew, the first instant memory that pops into our mind can take us by surprise. Although intensely personal, its nature can be quite unexpected – trivial even. 

And looking back at our own lives, It is odd that the little vignettes we replay don’t usually focus on the life changing events themselves, but the small insignificant details that surround them.  Personally I remember the smell of the midwife who delivered my firstborn  (I don’t think she had time to shower that morning) and my mother placing beside me a basket of perfect pink roses she had picked from her garden. 

It is the same at the other end of life. Immediately after we lose someone dear to us the pain and grief is overwhelming. Often we are caught up in the events leading up to the passing – perhaps focussing on their decline, or – if they suffered from dementia – remembering just the years of confusion and bewilderment. 

However, as time passes  we recall earlier memories … and isn’t it funny how so often these are not the ones we expected to surface. Eventually – if we allow them – these memory treats will pop into our subconscious accompanied by a small bubble of joy. When this happens, welcome them with a smile knowing that no one is truly lost to us while they live on in our heart and our memories. 

Caption: Making memories – little parcels of Cosmos seeds given to mourners at a recent Celebration of Life Ceremony