Phats as someone who lost children in traumatic settings, I will say that time does heal, pictures, items, still bring back very painful memories, but as painful as they are, are they even remotely close to what I went through when it happened, where for all intents and purposes I had shut down for a few days and was barely functioning for a few weeks? No.
Time heals the wound, but teh scar stays, in if the wound was like that of a finger that was lost, the wound may heal, but teh finger is not coming back, its not the same, it will not be the same.. but you move on, you dont think about it every minute every day.
in 12 days it will be 5 years since I lost my my kids and it is not easy because the memories come rushing back, but ...time healed. I had spoken to a counselor the day after the loss and he had said that time will heal, I did not believe him,a nd he had explained about the level of impact on me and how frequent it will be would continue to reduce, and if it does not then it means I have slipped into depression etc. He was right, time does heal.
PS: I had twin older brothers who did not make it, my mother always thinks of them at milestones..they would have been graduating now, they would be getting married now, etc. I sometimes find myself doing the same..they would be starting school this year etc..you dont forget..you move on.
That's a key right there. You move on...you can't stop living, you move on because you are strong.