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Generational Bonds and Shared Memories
On October 28th, 2024 Kindful held memorial gatherings across the state of Texas to give a place and voice for the family members of those who passed away from June 2023 to June 2024. And for the first time, I found myself among those families. I call it my dad’s last great gift, to make me a customer of my own company.
For over 15 years, I have had the great pleasure to build high caliber teams of caring professionals but I’ve never been on the receiving end of their care. I have seen dozens of memorial gatherings but I’ve never been the one memorializing my dad. Oh what a blessing it is to gather and talk about our loved ones gone by.
Memorials need not be fancy or over elaborate but to gather the care team members with the families they have served is cathartic for all involved. The families love to see the aides and chaplains, social workers and nurses that eased the minds of our loved ones during their final months, weeks and days. And the care team members love to be reminded of the love and support they provided that held up a family during a challenging time.
And we bear witness to the generations of family that are impacted by loss. Not just the spouse, but the duaghter and the grandchild. Dealing with all the things that come with a dying person is a challenge so to allow space and re-convene for a memorial allows the families processing time and in the place of tears of sadness come tears of joy for all the many years we had the privilege to share our lives with our loved ones. In my case, I was 56 when my 88 year old father died. 56 years to suck up the many lessons learned through living and making one’s way through the world. Another memorial guest had been married to her husband for 52 years. 52 years of meeting life’s challenges and sharing life’s joy with a special someone.
So if you are ever invited to a memorial gathering, I encourage you to stop your busy life for a moment and say yes to attending. Consider it a chance for your loved one to touch you once again. Touch you with their love and their presence. For someone does not need to be physically next to you for you to feel their presence.
