On Losing a Parent, and How to Help a Friend Who's Grieving

On Losing a Parent, and How to Help a Friend Who's Grieving

We were in the middle of meat section at Costco when Lucy declared “it smelled like Grandpa.”  Which was rather bizarre because, first of all, we were in Costco.  Second of all, Lucy was only six when my dad died—did she remember what he smelled like?  What did she think he smelled like?  As I bent down to pepper her with questions—I smelled it.  The familiar scent of Skin Bracer aftershave.  It was the same after shave my dad had worn for decades.