12/08/2025
Forever in Our Hearts
Anniversaries of our loved ones are heartfelt and challenging days
They arrive each year with a quiet weight,
settling gently yet unmistakably in the corners of our hearts.
It’s a day that can feel both unbearably heavy
and tenderly sacred,
a moment when the absence of someone we love
feels more real than ever.
Even if time has softened the sharp edges of grief,
the ache remains,
a gentle pulse reminding us of what was
and what still lives within us.
It’s okay to feel overwhelmed by the memories that come flooding back,
the laughter, the tender moments shared
that defined a lifetime.
It’s okay to let tears fall or to simply sit in silence,
holding space for the complicated feelings that anniversaries stir.
These days don’t just remind us of loss;
they also remind us of love’s enduring power.
The bond we shared doesn’t disappear with their absence.
It transforms, becoming a quiet presence
that walks alongside us, comforting and steady,
even in the hardest moments.
Though the world around us may carry on as usual,
our hearts slow down to honor what once was.
And in that honoring, we find a small measure of peace,
a reminder that love, even when wrapped in sorrow,
never truly leaves us.
It shapes who we are, guides us forward,
and gently holds us until the ache feels a little lighter again.
~ 'Forever in Our Hearts' by Spirit of a Hippie
✍️ Mary Anne Byrne
~ Art by Bernie Fitzsimons
