Your answer to the daughter “I’ll let you know if it ever happens” about getting over such an enormous loss is ever so true, and I’m honestly proud of you for speaking the words out loud.

We don’t ever get past real grief, we never get over it. The depth of love we have for a person or a beloved pet is equal to the depth of grief we feel when they cross.

What we do is to learn how to carry it with us.

Your beach walk and the purple hydrangea photo are perfect in every way. Some people try so very hard to avoid feeling their grief, but it remains.