The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss Conversations

Carry Their Memory Gently: Legacy Touchstones for This Season


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TODAY -- Touchstones let love travel with you without making every minute heavy.

Journal prompt: “What I’m keeping from this month is…”

Choose one flicker that feels like company: a phrase they loved, ten seconds of their song, a color that calls them to mind. Rebuild by placing a tiny touchstone where real life happens—light a candle at dinner, wear the bracelet, set a photo by the door, speak their name before you leave the house. Then step by anchoring it to a daily moment: “When I grab my keys, I touch the bracelet,” or “When the kettle clicks, I say their name.” Small, repeatable, merciful.

Choose-your-energy menu:

  • Hollow (low): Speak their name once and place a hand on your chest.
  • Healing (medium): Put one touchstone where you’ll naturally see/use it.
  • Becoming (higher): Share your touchstone plan with a safe person and invite them to mirror it once this week.

To end today:
Legacy is not a museum; it’s a living room. Touchstones let love move with you—into the kitchen, the car, the checkout line—without requiring a speech every time. After a suicide, memory can feel sharp or complicated; gentle, chosen rituals blunt the edge just enough to hold it. Speaking their name before you leave the house or hearing ten seconds of “their” song is not dwelling—it’s belonging. You’re showing your body that remembering is allowed and survivable. If a touchstone stings today, choose a lighter one; the goal isn’t performance, it’s companionship. Over time, these tiny ties stitch a steadier way to carry them forward without disappearing yourself. 

Exhale. Keep what serves you; leave the rest. I’ll be here again tomorrow. 💜

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🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here.
🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here.
📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741.

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The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss ConversationsBy Melissa Bottorff-Arey

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