In the cabinet was my mother’s jewelry box beside a crystal tea set and salad bowls. I had often suggested she throw out those relics of the past, but she only smiled and, three times a year, carefully washed her treasures and placed them back. At New Year, she always brought out the crystal bowls for the holiday table.

After my parents’ deaths, I realized I could not handle the grief alone. I had to see a therapist. The specialist prescribed medication and helped me process the loss