The Little Things - Turning Ashes of Grief into a Diamond of Hope
The Eterneva team is committed to sharing real stories that help celebrate the remarkable lives of loved ones who have passed. These real stories are here to help connect to one another, spark joy, inspire gratitude, and move us forward together.
We had the opportunity to chat with Hope Harrison, one of our extraordinary Eterneva customers, to learn more about the loving relationship she had with her dear sweet husband, Dustin Harrison.
Hope decided to honor her beloved husband by turning him into a diamond with Eterneva. While she misses her husband’s presence and often feels like she’s left standing in the ashes of her life, receiving the diamond made from her husband’s ashes has brought a sparkle of hope into her life. Now today, she’s sharing more about their story with radiance and love.
It’s clear that while Hope’s remarkable husband is no longer with us, the memories and lessons he shared remain close to her heart and help her continue to live life, appreciating the little things, in his honor.
The Remarkable Legacy of Dustin Harrison
As Hope shares, the best way to describe Dustin is a noble soul. Dustin was unique, calm, collected, very intelligent and a man of integrity and honor.
As a pilot he loved flying ever since he was a child. Whether it was riding motorcycles, bungee jumping, or flying, Dustin always had an adventurous side and loved anything kind of risky. Hope on the other hand is the complete opposite. “I’m afraid of everything. We balanced each other out.”
Dustin was a civilian contractor pilot for a company that worked for the military. He was doing special missions overseas. It was exciting, honorable, purposeful and he loved it. The only drawback to his job was that he had to be away from his family.
His biggest passion aside from aviation was his family. Whether he was spending time with Hope, his daughter, mother, or sister, his first priority in life was his family. Dustin loved to combine his passions by bringing Hope and their daughter along for sunset flights.
The Little Things
“It's not always about the big moments. A lot of times it's all the little moments combined that are special.” - Hope Harrison
Hope’s favorite memory with Dustin was their last family date which was right before he went overseas. They went to the Pima Air Museum in Tucson, Arizona. She remembers the joy in his eyes as he put his daughter on different airplanes and ate ice cream together, which they both loved. After a long day of fun they took a family nap. Hope recalls looking at Dustin and their daughter sleeping and just thinking “life doesn’t get much better than this.” She believes there was a reason their last day as a family was so perfect… he was her knight in shining armor.
While this memory made a lasting impression, Hope still misses everything about him; his presence, his laugh, his smile, the security he offered, the love he showed, and all of the little things and moments they shared.
Whether it was him reaching out to hold her hand while they were watching TV, putting his arm around her shoulder while they were walking around the store, or bringing roses home just to let Hope and their daughter know he was thinking of them, Dustin always showed how much he cared.
How do we honor and carry these little moments with us?
Reflecting on these moments and what they teach us are important for helping us take our loved ones with us everywhere we go while also helping us through our grief journeys.
Hope decided to honor her beloved husband by turning him into a diamond. She believes the whole process parallels her own life… turning ashes into a diamond. While she feels like she’s standing in the ashes of her own life, as a believer she knows that one day her ashes will be a diamond and she will be able to honor her husband by telling her story and his story.
She also wanted to have something to pass down to her daughter when she is older, so she made the diamond into a wedding band. This way when the time comes, Dustin will be able to walk down the aisle with his daughter.
Now, whenever Hope and her family experience new little things, Dustin is right there with them shining bright.
A Path Forward
When we asked Hope if there was anything that Dustin would want others to know about life, her answer beautifully captured Dustin’s integrity and compassion.
“Do what you need to do daily to be the best version of yourself possible.”
Dustin was someone who always tried to do things on his own. If he didn’t know how to do something, he’d research it until he did. Whether it was helping Hope do her nails, changing the brakes or raising step-sons, Dustin had no problem figuring it out and bettering himself and those around him in the process.
“The little moments with family and friends are what make life what it is.”
While Dustin wasn’t big on buying a lot of stuff for the holidays or birthdays, he showed love and thoughtfulness year-round for those he loved. Whether it was planning a random picnic at the park on a Friday night or showing up with a rose, he was always about the little moments.
Dustin’s remarkable life and lessons shared are something we can all bring into our own life by taking the time to answer a few simple questions.
- What things can you do to show up as the best version of yourself today and then again tomorrow?
- How will you create and appreciate little things and moments with your friends and family while they’re still with you?
- What little things that remind you of a loved one that you can continue doing in their honor?
What are your little things?
We're on a mission to change a culture around death, grief, and remembrance at Eterneva. We believe the little things shared with a loved one are some of the most important and impactful treasures in life. We want to help you find solace on your grieving journey by embracing the little things you shared with your loved one that left a lasting impression.
And for those who aren’t on a grieving journey, this is for you too! Who are the most precious people in your life and what are their little things? Through loss we learn about life. So how can you learn from Hope and Dustin’s remarkable love to practice presence and gratitude the next time your loved one slurps their coffee or has their silly quirk?
Join us by sharing “that one time they...” or “I remember how they would…” about your loved ones. We can't wait to hear just how special your loved one is to you and the little things that have made a big impact on your life. We want to share your favorite “little things” about your loved ones, so please comment here for a chance to be featured on our account! #TLTeterneva
