Over the past several years, the months of November through January 6th have become significantly bittersweet as memories of Crick flood our family’s hearts with a curious blend of  joy and sadness.  As today marks what would have been his 69th birthday, I would like to plead for the reader’s indulgence as I share two short videos in celebration of this consequential day.  Later this evening, following “TGIFriday” with Nana, our family will gather for dinner and then, as has become an annual ritual, the grandchildren will release ten helium balloons into the night sky in celebration of their Papa. It brings me great joy and comfort to know that even though they are growing older they remain eager to continue this heart-warming ritual, for it is in those few magical moments as we watch the balloons take flight up toward the stars, we are all seemingly once again reunited.

As the videos have been shared before, I did question the posting of them yet again, but then recalled this quote from a blog post from several years ago:  “When someone dies, you don’t get over your grief by forgetting.  You get through your grief by remembering.”  It is up to us the “rememberers”, the people left behind, to keep the one who is gone from us alive in heart, in mind, in soul.

“No matter what anybody says about grief and about time healing all wounds, the truth is, there are certain sorrows that never fade away until the heart stops beating and the last breath is taken.”  Crick may be gone, but he is never, ever forgotten by those of us who hold his memory close in our minds and hearts.

TNT

TGW

P.S.   One of these days, I will finish a post I started before the holiday season descended upon me!!!  Hopefully, one day my blog will be like Crick…..gone but not forgotten!!  LOL