When someone dies, there is always some unfinished work left. Usually it's something the deceased started. Today I found something I started for my brother when he first got sick 9 years ago. I was knitting a prayer shawl that should end up like this, only in denim blue heather:

The pattern, http://debbiemacomber.com/knitters/alixs-prayer-shawl, was slightly beyond my skill level. I can make it, but can't recover from a dropped stitch without tearing out rows. About 5 years ago I was babysitting a boy who was fascinated by my knitting and would end up dropping stitches for me. Which mean restarting from scratch many times before I learned about "life lines", a piece of yarn that is run through the stitches on the needle every so many rows to prevent having to start over. I put my knitting away when the boy began pulling out the life lines.

So I don't know what to do. I don't have a lot invested in yarn, only 6 skeins if I remember right, but the specialty needles I bought were expensive (48 inch size 13 circular needles). I hate having an unfinished project around, but also know that if I were to try to finish it I would be constantly reminded that my brother is dead.