Some cultures caution against keeping items belonging to the deceased, fearing that the deceased’s energy may linger and attach itself to the living. However, in other cultures, such items are cherished and shared among family members to honour memory and preserve connection. These objects, far from harbouring negative energy, often hold a quiet comfort, allowing people to feel close to loved ones who are no longer here.
Some say that some possessions carry a trace of the person who once owned them. These items can evoke shared experiences and memories, making us feel connected to the departed. A fondness for a particular scent, a sudden craving for a favourite food, or even a shift in temperament can sometimes feel like echoes of another life continuing through us. The more we listen to these stories, the more we realise how intertwined memory, emotion, and imagination can become.
Perhaps it is all in the mind, or something more mysterious is at play. Either way, the bond between the living and the deceased finds expression in the things they leave behind. In my own experience, I have never felt any unsettling energy from the items left to me by loved ones. They rest quietly among my belongings, carrying with them only gentle reminders of affection and shared moments. Rather than troubling me, they bring peace and reflection, especially when I need to feel that my loved ones are still near in some small way.
So I often wonder: is it truly wrong to hold on to what once belonged to those we miss, or can these keepsakes become bridges between memory and the present, helping us let go not by forgetting, but by remembering with grace?
