Dennis,
I understand how you feel, as I also lost my mother a year ago. She entered the hospital for a certain operation and everything was fine. Can you beleive that on day 3 after her operation, she had almost recovered fully, and we were all in her hospital room, I had brought my Epson projector and we all enjoyed family photos projected on the wall, and celebrating her ''recovery''and looking forward to her return home. Something unexpected and weird happened the next day - her condition worsened and she passed away 5 days later. In my estimation, a mistake by the hospital staff also. I was torn between sadness and madness and frustration. 5 days later still, everything was over in a flash with the funeral service and all, it it was just like a bad dream.
However, many people pass on much to soon - kids, babies. Accidents, desease, drunk drivers. It does not make our loss easier to take - but it helps put it in perspective when our parents go, although there no way to prepare for such events.
I really beleive that the departed - and this shortly after they have left us - do come back and provide an inner voice that is conforting, and for many, actual dreams at night that are so real and vivid that you do feel good and feel a ''presence''. I think we must give a chance to those departed the chance to come back and enrich our lives in a different,spiritual, but no less meaningfull way. And they do come back when some of the emotively-charged dust has settled......Good luck and don't give up ! Think of what your mother would appreciate that you do right now...probably to take care of yourself and live life to the fullest, she will help you if you let her.... Regards, Mike.