CW: Death
Yesterday was All Souls Day. In the Catholic faith, it is a time to honor those who have passed on. These people, whether they were publicly celebrated or quietly lived, left behind a legacy of love, faith, and strength.
I have lost several family members over the years, and each time has been extremely painful. The feeling of their absence never really goes away. It lingers like a shadow, quiet, persistent, and always there. Knowing I will never see them again in this life weighs heavily on my heart.
This year, the grief feels especially raw. In September, my longtime paraprofessional passed away after a fight against breast cancer. She had been in my life since preschool. More than just a paraprofessional, she was a steady presence, a comforting voice, and a thread woven throughout my early years. I can’t recall a time when she wasn’t in my life. Her absence is not just felt; it reverberates.
Grief is a strange companion. It doesn’t follow a schedule and doesn’t fade neatly with time. It appears in unexpected moments, like a song, a scent, or a memory, and reminds you of what you’ve lost. But in those moments, there’s also grace. They remind us that love leaves a mark. The people we’ve lost still shape who we are.
As I go through this season, I’m trying to carry their light forward. I want to live in a way that honors their memory. I wish to be a steady presence for someone else, just like they were for me. That’s what All Saints Day is about. It’s not just about remembering, but also about showing the love we received.
So, I remember. I grieve. I give thanks. I cherish the quiet reality that love, once given, never really goes away. It lives on in stories, in gestures, and in how we carry the memories of those we’ve lost in everything we do.
Source:
“All Souls’ Day”. Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Oct. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/All-Souls-Day-Christianity.