What you seek, you shall never find.
For when the Gods made man,
They kept immortality for themselves.
Fill your belly.
Day and night make merry,
Let Days be full of joy.
Love the child that holds your hand.
Let your wife delight in your embrace.
For these alone are the concerns of man.
--The Epic of Gilgamesh
All these years since Dad died, I've marked the approach of this time. Dad was 52 years old. This year marks my 52nd year. Where have the past 24 years gone? Much has happened in that time. I am changed from the person I was. I have watched my family grow old, grow up, and increase. I have found things which have given me inspiration. I have found happiness in the most surprising of places. Right under my nose.
Effigies are used in grieving by providing a tangible representation of what has been lost, allowing a mourner to connect with who or what they've lost , which can help with the process of acceptance and emotional expression, particularly when the loss is sudden or traumatic; they can be used to focus grief and memories around a physical likeness, offering a sense of continued presence even in their absence