Grief Is Like Luminol Testing

Luminol is a chemical that glows blue when mixed with an oxidizing agent — often, the iron in blood hemoglobin. Luminol testing is used at crime scenes to help forensic scientists detect trace amounts of blood.

Image courtesy HowStuffWorks.com

The mind holds onto memories the way carpet holds onto tiny traces of blood spatter. You might not even realize they’re there until you have the tools to see them.

Sometimes, I can see my past self walking around the neighborhood, walking around the office at work, driving around town. Little memories I didn’t even know I had from my marriage. They keep resurfacing and sometimes it’s really hard to leave them in the past because I still miss it.

I assume this gets better with time.

One thought on “Grief Is Like Luminol Testing

  1. From experience, it does get better. With time. Probably more time than anyone wants it to take, but it does get better.

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