Gone but not forgotten

Hello, lovelies. Yesterday we learnt of Prince Phillips passing at the age of 99. And although most of us have never met him, we can all agree that he was an iconic member of the historical Royal family. And love him or hate him, he was always there. And as our nation mourns, we can all relate to the loss of someone we love. Does death really mean the end of someone? Is it the end of who a person was? Or in this digital age, are our every moment recorded for anyone to see who we were? Or does a person never really leave us if we remember them? I was at work yesterday when I heard the news about Prince Phillip. And I have to say that I was a little shocked. I know that he had reached a grand old age, but the death of anyone is a sad thing. Death is always so final. Knowing that you’ll never be able to spend time with the person who’s gone. Never again to be offered a cup of tea by them. They’ll never be at the end of the telephone when you need to talk to them. They’re just gone. And with every passing year, I can no longer remember what my mother sounded like. I can’t remember what she smelt like, or what it was like to hug her. She was always there, right up until the day that she wasn’t. I do have pictures of her, but I am still unable to look at them. It still hurts to think of her dying all these years later. People who knew her tell me that I look like her, and I know that I do some of her mannerisms. But is that enough? I hate having my picture taken. I’m always that person who pulls a silly face, eyes closed, or I have something in my teeth. Every photo looks like a mugshot. So there are hardly any photos of me. I’m always the one taking the pictures. Everyone manages to look great with very little effort. I wish I knew how they did it. But I just don’t take a good picture of myself. So how will my children be able to remember me when I’m gone? Will the handful of terrible pictures be enough? Should I start accumulating stuff that they will be able to remember me with? With so many of our memories posted online, most of our lives are easily accessible for everyone to see. Memories can fade, but social media is forever. But is that a good thing? I know that if I saw a picture of my mother every time I turned Facebook on, then I don’t think I’d ever be able to sign in again. And with the royal family, this must be especially true. My mothers passing was hardly a state affair. And as the nation mourns, how can those close to Prince Phillip grieve with the world watching? But are those we love ever truly gone? Their bodies may leave us, but I can still talk to my mother. She may not answer me, but that can be a good thing. I may not have her, but she is in my heart. She spent her entire life imparting her knowledge and experiences to me and I have that to hold on to. And although I never knew The Duke of Edinburgh, I can hold on to the memory of him. I can send thoughts and prayers to the Queen, and to all of his family. But what we can take away from the nation’s loss is the knowledge that we will all be remembered by those who loved us. Pictures and stuff are all well and good but making memories and living experiences are all that are truly needed. Rest in peace Prince Phillip.