Dad had said not to be sad because the snow melted into everything we touched and the same could be said about losing a loved one. The person who left us was still there—soaked into memories, objects, and other people. We all left a mark on this world. It was only now that I understood Dad’s greatest gift to me wasn’t the bike I’d gotten for Christmas or even the Barbie house he’d gotten me when I was six. He had taught me creativity and imagination. And they were my safe place.
