I never understood that until it happened to me, but you're totally right. You just sort of learn to manage the pain...it never goes away.
I second this. My dad died over 20 years ago and I still feel the lose some days. I still sometimes think I see him in a crowd.
You never, ever get over it. Just get passed it.
As someone dealing with my parents' shift into their "older years" and wondering about the future, I found myself quite moved by this. Thank you for sharing it.