Mainstream grief

When Alex and Travis died, it was important to me to surround myself with mementos...proof of their existence. But what I found was that it was very difficult to find items that held meaning but weren't outrageously expensive. The "normal" mainstream stores didn't cater to my specific needs and I mainly had to order from specialized online stores.

Two short years later, I find this. It can be personalized for a boy or a girl (pink or blue). Simple. Sweet. Won't break the bank. From a "normal" store. Could it be that our voices are being heard? They have several memorial items available including flag cases and memorial plaques and prints.

I don't want to make too much of it, but it seems as though there is a spark of hope in these simple acknowledgments of the shared human experience of loss and grief. Now, if only they would put them in a category other than "decorative accessories..." I guess beggars can't be choosers though.