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Daily Question, March 16

Who is someone who is no longer in my life but whose memory continues to deeply impact me?

  • Japaria

    My dad was found deceased by me on the morning of 11-15-2019… that’s a day I wish I’d never experience… my dad was the type to always want us to date a man that treated us as he did in his eyes no one was good enough for us were 3 girls of which I’m the oldest… I just wish we had more time to talk about things I’ve went through and is dealing with now from my own family members

    • Michele

      I am sorry for your loss and the traumatic way you found your father. May you find peace and comfort with your memories of him.

  • Melissa

    My grandmother’s, my Nonni’s who always loved the whole family including me. No matter what they laughed with us and showed us how to love unconditionally, made homemade dinners for all. I couldn’t pick one other the other. They gave their love to us freely. I still miss them so much!

  • Malag

    Aside from the obvious, like my parents, there was a guy when I was starting out in work who was very generous of his time and expertise and passed it on to me. And I made a career from it. I still think of him sometimes despite him being long gone.

  • Kristi

    Rhonda- a girl I had to do a project with on college. She taught me to enjoy the beauty of a sunset and sunrise! So many others too, but I always remember this from some girl named Rhonda.

  • Ose
    What I would like to convey is that towards the ones who stay in my heart, who have touched me deeply, to their love shared, to their love shown towards others also and towards life itself, to their honesty in quite difficult situations, their integrity, their kindness and patience, their deep compassion and their willingness to accompany me on this path, for the shared experiences and learning, I am deeply grateful. It might be deeply painful also, and when I first read this question in the mo...

    What I would like to convey is that towards the ones who stay in my heart, who have touched me deeply, to their love shared, to their love shown towards others also and towards life itself, to their honesty in quite difficult situations, their integrity, their kindness and patience, their deep compassion and their willingness to accompany me on this path, for the shared experiences and learning, I am deeply grateful. It might be deeply painful also, and when I first read this question in the morning, I was painfully reminded in the loss, or almost complete loss of presence of loved ones. But opening up to this question, I can only fully say a deep “Yes” and a deeply felt Thank you dearly for all the willingness to having been so kind to be there together with me. To my mother, my chosen mother, to my beloved teacher, to beloved friends also, if the path might end at some point. Whatever might come, they will stay in my heart forever, embedded in deep gratitude. It is an honor and it feels as grace to have been allowed to share what was offered. With a deep bow to you all, greetings from my heart.

    Read More
  • Don Jones

    There are a number, but at the same time, looking back, I realize I am no longer that person. They are just sweet fragrances of memory now.

  • Lioness

    My mother. I miss her. I miss making her laugh and the sound of her laugh. I miss her cooking, I miss her chicken soup when I was sick, I miss seeing her. I also miss her for my children, as she was the only active grandparent in their life. But, I do believe she watches over us and I carry on her traditions as much as I can, while still being me.

  • Hot Sauce

    I was really close friends with my friend, Marissa, in elementary school, but now, we only see each other on rare occasions, like when we run into each other at the store or something. We always hung out together though.

  • Sara
    My mom, Suzanne Marie...her proper name felt off limits for a long time, just like her bedroom (it was a place of womanly mystery, maroon satin sheets from JC Penney's and wicker jewelry boxes full of unworn, twisted and tangled necklaces, high school love notes, and oranged crumply recipe clippings). Suzanne was a two-time homecoming queen, high school and college. She had a small gap between her upper front teeth and warm, sultry eyes not entirely usual for a good Lutheran girl who loved Je...

    My mom, Suzanne Marie…her proper name felt off limits for a long time, just like her bedroom (it was a place of womanly mystery, maroon satin sheets from JC Penney’s and wicker jewelry boxes full of unworn, twisted and tangled necklaces, high school love notes, and oranged crumply recipe clippings). Suzanne was a two-time homecoming queen, high school and college. She had a small gap between her upper front teeth and warm, sultry eyes not entirely usual for a good Lutheran girl who loved Jesus with the innocent heart of a preschooler.
    Suzanne furiously slapped me once when I was an entitled and self-absorbed fourteen year old for demanding an expensive bathing suit from Jordan Marsh instead of a basic suit from Sears, something a family living on an Air Force budget couldn’t afford.
    Suzanne packed a picnic basket full of snacks and wine and surprised my dad at work one evening ~ they walked across the road to the beach, she wore nothing but the strappy nightgown she’d driven there in.
    When I was an adult with children of my own, I found Suzanne in bed once – it was 11am and she was still in pajamas, wearing a pair of my dad’s black work socks. She was in her thoughts, so far away and I think she had been crying for awhile, her sadness pulled up around her like a familiar quilt.. When I asked if she was ok, she looked directly at me with tired eyes and said she didn’t think she could bear to smell Aqua Velva cologne my dad had been wearing for the previous 35 years. She was always my mom, but I realized a few years before her death that she, the woman Suzanne, was actually my ancestor, who birthed in me profound moments of depression, whimsy, untamed flares of anger, and a deep love for connection. Suzanne lived a lovely life, died far too young from a non-discriminatory blood clot that didn’t care if she was a homecoming queen loved by all. In the fourteen years of aging and maturing I’ve done since her death, I continue to connect with her more as the woman Suzanne, a lens through which my quirks and imperfections seem softer and more OK.

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    • Ed Schulte

      This is a wonderful rich read! Thank you for sharing your Suzanne ….I hope this next comment doesn’t cross boundaries but…..I couldn’t prevent the words of the late Lenard Cohen and his song with the same name rising up.

  • Ed Schulte

    Any person, or other “memory” of any kind, IS “in my life” and will always be so if it has left favourable impressions. A life as a Human Being is an accumulation of these favourable experience, incarnation after incarnation. And more so because many of those are here, now, in my current “life time” experience …because we have been together before in past “life times” .I would not want to start listing names …it would be a long list!

  • Holly in Ohio
    There are really so many! There are people I mention to others and I’ll say, “I want to be more like them when I grow up” I cherish and think of some people often, and try to use their specialness to guide me. For instance, there was a man I worked with at a non-profit, we’ll call him William.. He was a senior at the time, and a volunteer, and head of the board of directors. And we had a treasurer at the time who, from neglect and personal problems that were distracting him, created a cr...

    There are really so many! There are people I mention to others and I’ll say, “I want to be more like them when I grow up” I cherish and think of some people often, and try to use their specialness to guide me. For instance, there was a man I worked with at a non-profit, we’ll call him William.. He was a senior at the time, and a volunteer, and head of the board of directors. And we had a treasurer at the time who, from neglect and personal problems that were distracting him, created a crisis for the organization, ruined our credit, bounced our checks, got the IRS on our backs, all sorts of things. The rest of the board was furious and hostile to the treasurer, and yet William knew that the treasurer was a good man, and far from being judgmental or hostile… he was gentle, respectful, and supportive, and together he and the treasurer, they saved the organization and got us out of the mess, which took months, and then the treasurer gave up his duties. I don’t think anyone else could have led that organization successfully through that difficult time. But mpressed in my mind is William, as quiet, as beautiful, as solid, kind, and noble as a mountain.And yes, I want to be more like that when I grow up.

    Read More
  • Christine

    Karel, my husband. A true love story never ends. 💞

  • Carol

    Many years ago, I was part of a retreat team and the spiritual director used to say, “There’s nothing more real than a relationship.” Many people have touched my life. Some were positive influences and some were not.

  • SK

    So man come to mind. My parents most of all. their lives lived out in love, patience, values and providing my brother and I with a blessed life; my grandma Ike- faithful Christian woman for 105 years; my friend Tom who was the manifestation of trust and faith.

  • Cathie

    There was my 1st tai chi teacher, in Denver, who was always so joyful and peaceful, that I hoped that someday I could embody that radiance and shine it to others.

  • Trish
    My first reaction was my grandmother, but although she’s deceased she is still in my life. So, that’s wonderful... There are a handful of women that I’ve met through my work as a crisis social worker that have changed my life. They have lived extraordinarily difficult lives, full of violence and adversity. And, they have found ways to not only persevere but to flourish. I think of them for inspiration when I’m having a small pity party. I’m forever grateful for their impact on my li...

    My first reaction was my grandmother, but although she’s deceased she is still in my life. So, that’s wonderful…

    There are a handful of women that I’ve met through my work as a crisis social worker that have changed my life. They have lived extraordinarily difficult lives, full of violence and adversity. And, they have found ways to not only persevere but to flourish. I think of them for inspiration when I’m having a small pity party. I’m forever grateful for their impact on my life.

    Read More
  • k'Care-Reena
    WHO IS SOMEONE WHO IS NO LONGER IN YOUR LIFE BUT WHOSE MEMORY CONTINUES TO IMPACT YOU?The universe works in mysterious ways because I woke up thinKing of my TWIN FLAME. However the # 1 , main person who’s memory impacts me deeply is MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER LALA. i get my spirituality and healing abilities because OF HER. Grandma Lala still is what keeps the family strong and their faith strong. She was religious however i NEVER MET SOMEONE LIKE HER who was so forgiving, so open minded, humorous y...

    WHO IS SOMEONE WHO IS NO LONGER IN YOUR LIFE BUT WHOSE MEMORY CONTINUES TO IMPACT YOU?The universe works in mysterious ways because I woke up thinKing of my TWIN FLAME. However the # 1 , main person who’s memory impacts me deeply is MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER LALA.
    i get my spirituality and healing abilities because OF HER. Grandma Lala still is what keeps the family strong and their faith strong. She was religious however i NEVER MET SOMEONE LIKE HER who was so forgiving, so open minded, humorous yet motherly. like she was. SHE NEVER JUDGE me or my friends and how we looked or said. She would tell her grandchildren stories of herself when she was younger. You can say she also help construct my independence and courage; my sister and I were blessed to have her live right next door to us. We would update her on our nightmares and she installed courage and confidence against negativity and bad. She gave me this sense of power from our light. She lives within me everyday. I do not see her as passed but transformed into a form that she is able to protect more and be wherever.My TWIN FLAME ignited the discovery of my true self. This impact is bittersweet due to an end of our relationship however the drive I had while we was together is installed in me. This person gave me the do what YOU WANT attitude with a compassion and humor to individuals. I also believe I was impacted by the courage I had during the relationship, it has transformed into a positive butterfly vibe.
    There is honestly not a day that goes by that I DO NOT think of them. LOVE YOU BOTH

    Read More
  • devy

    M’y football coach from high school. Besides being a coach to all us young men, he also was a teacher with whom I could go to personally and talk my personal problems with. He showed concern for all his students and his well being. It was because of him that I attended his alma mater to play and who encouraged me to post secondary education.

  • EJP

    Mom…whose quiet strength, resilience and wisdom taught me how to be the person I am today. I’m forever grateful…,.. thank you.

  • Zaina

    My grandfather because he was a very good man and would take me to the mosque every week and i would pray among the men even tho i was a girl and look up at everybody when they were bowing down. And he was very intelligent, an engineer, a creative storyteller and just like a child.

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