On a personal note, as of September 9th, 2024, my Opa is no longer with us. He was in his 90s, and I remembered him for most of my life as a quiet man. I encourage you to look at this image and remember someone you lost as well. Think about what they said to you, how they acted around you, because I am not so lucky. I have issues with forgetting people. I don't remember faces, or names, I mix people up. I call friends darling and partners dude. But here, I know one flaw. I forget faces. I know that when I get older, I will forget people.
This is not the first time I have lost someone, and not the first time I lost someone who I wasn't super close to, but knew well and was affectionate towards them. I wouldn't say arms length, but I would say that in terms of conversation, they were rather... brief. The first person who I lost was a friend of mine, who was 19 when they passed. When I learned that my Opa was on hospice, it brought those feelings back up again. I was scared that I wouldn't get to say goodbye. I was afraid that he wouldn't know who I was if I did visit him. I wasn't worried I would just forget who he was, but I was worried he had forgotten me. It wasn't the first time.
But he didn't. I got to tell him I loved him. He said I was a beautiful granddaughter. He did remember me.
Now I have the duty of carrying his memory. All until I forget what he looks like. He was never one for photos.