On last night’s Young & Hungry, Gabi is forced to say goodbye to her first car and the last gift her mom gave her before she died. While her friends tried hard to get the car back to her, their help wasn’t enough. In the end, Gabi realizes the car really wasn’t her last gift from her mom. She continues to bless her with people around her who are there to care for and love her.
While it’s healing to remember that our loved ones are continuing to watch over us even when they’re gone, I think it’s also important to talk about how sometimes the items we cherish most can be just physical extensions of more.
Gabi’s car was not keeping her close to her mom. The memories the car brought her were.
Material items are great for trying to immortalize those they remind us of. They can quickly bring us back to a time when those who enjoyed them with us were around. Letting go of these things is hard. When we can’t physically hold the people we miss, it’s nice to keep close to things that remind us of them.
But sometimes, we’re forced to let go of these items. In these times, it’s important to remember that these things are in fact just things. They are not the people we love and miss. While we can’t see or feel them, they are with us with every step we take. What are most important to cherish are the memories and the lessons taught to us. Things do not keep our loved ones alive. We do.
