In "The Year of Magical Thinking," author Joan Didion explores the profound challenge of coming to terms with loss. She reflects on the necessity of letting go of those who have passed, suggesting that holding on to memories only serves to hinder the grieving process. Didion emphasizes that while it’s essential to acknowledge the dead, doing so requires a deliberate act of releasing them from our emotional grasp.

The imagery of allowing the deceased to become mere memories, represented by photographs or names, poignantly captures the struggle between remembering and moving on. Didion acknowledges that understanding this principle doesn’t ease the pain of letting go, highlighting the emotional complexity of grief. The metaphor of "letting go in the water" symbolizes the difficulty of relinquishing our attachments, evoking a deep sense of longing and sorrow.