Those memory triggers will get you every time, Dick. If I may offer advice from when I lost my parents...
At first, your freshest memories of your recently departed loved one are also the most painful because they are from the time of that person's decline and demise, neither of which is likely to be good. Your memory is naturally drawn to those freshest memories, which is a real rough spot. But as time passes, you can bring your memories back to the better times, times of enjoyment, times when things were good. Once you can get past the "speed bumps" and remember those better times, your healing will be underway. You will of course never get completely over the loss, but once you get past the most recent memories, the pain of your loss will begin to fade and you will recall the love that you had. The warmth might be a little faded, but it is still there.
I learned one valuable lesson during that time, though it was also a painful lesson. Allow yourself time to grieve. When my father died, I was immediately deluged with caring for my mother and didn't have time to process Dad's passing. Then, when Mom finally passed, BOTH of their losses caught up with me. Grief can be tough - but deferred grief can be tougher. Grief leads to healing, though, so let it happen now and then.
By the way, my wife has added you to her morning prayers for a while in hopes that it will do you some good to know that someone else cares enough to remember you in that way.
