How can you explain human emotions?

I was watching something on TV, and it was about someone dying. It made me think back to when my grandfather died years ago. When my grandpa died, I was inconsolable. I was probably around 10, but I was really close to him. He was also the first person I was ever really close to that died. Anyway, I was very upset about it for the longest time.

Why do I bring this up? Growing up, whenever I stayed at my grandparents’ house, the room I stayed in had this painting of a train. I always liked it. I used to just sit and stare at it as I fell asleep. So, fast forward to 6 months after he died. I found out that when I was around 3 or so, we were at a garage sale… and that painting was there. I refused to leave until my mom bought the painting for my grandpa. He was a conductor on the railroad, so thats where the train thing comes in. Anyway, after I found that out… I instantly felt ok about him dying. Simply knowing that fact… made everything ok.

This has always been confusing to me. Why did this make me feel better?