Kepping a Loved One's Memory Alive After Loss

When someone dies, what happens to the life they lived? My Aunt Essie passed away recently, and her death brought me back to something I’ve felt deeply since losing my parents: I don’t want the people I love to simply become part of the past. Their stories, personalities, beliefs, humor, music, relationships and the ways they shaped us still matter. In this episode, I talk about grief, memory and what it means to keep a loved one’s memory alive after loss. I share a photograph I found of Aunt Essie as a little girl standing in a flower garden, what her glass-half-full approach to living with MS taught me about perspective, the 40 years she shared with her husband Jim, and why Elton John’s *Crocodile Rock* will always bring her back to me. I also explore the small ways we can preserve the people we love: telling family stories, saving photographs and videos, writing down names and memories, explaining why certain objects matter, and keeping the little details alive that might otherwise disappear with time. Because remembering someone doesn’t always have to feel sad. Sometimes it’s a photograph. Sometimes it’s a story that still makes you laugh. Sometimes it’s a song that comes on unexpectedly and, for a moment, brings that person right back. If you’ve lost a parent, family member or someone you love, or you’ve found yourself thinking more about family history, grief, legacy and preserving memories as you get older, I think you’ll understand this one. **In this episode:** - Why keeping loved ones’ memories alive matters so much to me - What losing my parents taught me about memory and legacy - Remembering the whole person, not only the end of their life - Simple ways to preserve family stories, photographs and memories - How music and everyday objects can reconnect us with people we’ve lost - The perspective my Aunt Essie carried throughout her life Text Susan about this episode 🎧 **Connect & Get More:** • Instagram: @susan.kricun • Drop in my DMs and share your story or ask a question. • Sign up for my newsletter for free resources and updates. 🎶 **Music Credit:** “Seize the Day” by Andrey Rossi, via #Uppbeat (uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day) ✨ **Support the Show:** • Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you listen • Share this episode with a friend who could use a little more love—right where it matters most. **📚 Susan’s Favorite Books + Tools** • This link leads you to a curated list of books and tools I genuinely love and use. • *Some links are Amazon affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.* 🎙️ **Be a Guest on the Show. Fill out** this form**.** © 2025–present Susan Kricun.  Love From the Inside Out® is a registered trademark of Kricun Media, LLC. All rights reserved. All opinions are my own. This podcast is educational, not medical or legal advice.