A loss isn't always losing

One of my closest friends has lost a close family member today and my thoughts are out to him.
I have been, myself in a similar situation earlier this year losing a family member and most importantly someone who was also a friend.
I guess many of us have had to face such unfortunate moments at one time or another in our lives and we all know how difficult it is to cope with.
Inevitably, I have given it much thought with my recent experience and I've concluded that although hurting in times like this is indeed a natural process we must go through, there's still another aspect that we shouldn't neglect yet we tend to forget. We grieve and miss anything that surrounds the physical element of a loved one but the memories continue to carry on and never cease to exist in our minds. Memories that are evoked by several moments of the past, shared moments that have left a landmark of the person's personality, character and composure. These are the elements that remain and that we must focus on. Enriching elements that we can't lose no matter how much time goes by and by which, the person who passed away continues to exist within us.
Having adopted this approach, I'm now persuaded that losing someone isn't always losing, but most importantly, it's having and keeping.