The Beliefs Of Love In Gerald Callahan's 'Chimera'

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In Chimera, Gerald Callahan attempts to explain the paranormal sightings of his dead wife. For readers who cannot rely on faith alone, Callahan presents a scientific theory that might help us understand how we could be sensing the presence of those we love even after they have passed on. He proposes that once we become intertwined with someone here on earth they can never leave us, even when their humanly bodies have been buried long ago. He calls this phenomenon “phantom memory,” from which we can see or feel the ghosts of lost loves. As if love were a disease, others seep in and find root in our own biological systems where they shall live within and then reappear in front of us whenever they please. He explains, “Each time we are infected …show more content…

Forever will I be thankful for the love he gave me, and even more so for the family he left me with. Collectively, we have been and will be loved more than I personally could have ever asked for, by my grandfather and by each other. Though I think our goodbyes to him could not truly ever feel complete, I believe any void that has been left by his passing sheds light on the strength of the relationships we all had with him. Any amount of sadness we feel today is testimony to the deep love we felt, and that is where I have found small amounts of joy within this great …show more content…

I was sorry for the frustration of forgetfulness, for every time I didn’t come to visit, and for forkfuls of Eggo waffles. The first time I thought I saw my dead grandfather was two nights after we buried him, when I saw a black mass at the foot of my bed and he was towards the front of my mind. I closed my eyes and hoped it wasn’t him, that he was at peace, finally; I hoped he had finished those waffles. When I opened my eyes again, I saw the reflection of the moon in my mirrored closet doors, and nothing more. Other times I have seen him standing in line at the grocery store, or sitting in a booth in front of a plate of ribs. My heart sinks and my eyes get wide, and then they get squinty when I try to focus my fuzzy eyes on the sight I know is deceiving me. The ghost of my grandfather clears up into a vision of someone else’s lively, material grandfather, and I feel embarrassed that I ever hoped he could be mine.

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