Loss

This is Easter April 24, 2011 - A time of rebirth and renewal, and yet I have been focused on loss and what that means for the last several days. Over the last two weeks I have encountered a number of people who have lost an important person in their lives. Such losses are overwhelming, devastating. There really are no appropriate words that can be said at such times. There are different things that come to mind for me in terms of loss, of death……………. I am not suggesting I would say these directly to someone who just lost a loved one, however in my need to grasp the significance of loss, of death these are a few words that speak to me……

“Behind the darkest cloud of the dreary Winter chill is a Springtime begging to burst forth.”

“Bless this pain for it will bear its perfect gift to you in its perfect time.”

“But out of your loss is an interconnectedness with all humanity- for you are One with everyone who has ever mourned.”

“It is important to be ever so gentle, kind, loving and giving to yourself right now.”

“No one ever said it was easy to let go, let be, let life do what it is supposed to do.”

“There is not right way to grieve - there is just Your way.”

And of course there are many other words, but these are getting my attention at this moment. What I am pondering is why this is coming up for me now given that I have not recently lost an important person in my life. However I have been very aware of loss on a smaller scale, the losses we all encounter in our daily lives. Each day the sun rises and the sun sets (however in Vermont we may not see it, requiring more faith than I experienced in Florida where I did see daily sunrises!) and that day is gone. This is probably seen as a small loss, however we will never again experience that day as it was………It is gone………...

I think that I have been more aware of the vulnerability, and fragility of life given that I have recently been sick. I am aware of the aging process on a more personal level. Being someone who has always been very healthy, fit and able to do many physical activities that people my age perhaps are not able to do or even interested in doing, I have not really questioned that this will probably not always be the way my life goes. And so loss is inevitable. What is called for at these times, is surrender, surrender into the memory of what once was, and can no longer be………….We don’t go back, we go forward with a sense of sacredness of life………….our life with all its lumps, bumps, blemishes, and beauty. And so with loss, with endings come beginnings, new opportunities for really being in the midst of all of life. The circle of life is blossoming on this Easter, 2011.

Beginnings April 20, 2011

On this gray, rainy April day I have decided to start a blog. I am actually quite surprised that I am doing this as in many ways it feels like I am sharing my personal thoughts with whoever might care to read them in a similar way I have in the many journals I have kept over the last several years! And I don't think it ever crossed my mind to share those!

I am inspired to do this in part because of my daughter, Susan and my daughter-in-law Kirsten who both have blogs. I so enjoy reading their entries and seeing the photos.In these very busy times of our lives it is easy to lose track of the meaningful details of our lives. Both Susan and Kirsten write beautifully with a flair for a personal, creative, and inspiring way of sharing events and moments of their lives.

There is something very special, actually lesirely about the written word. It allows time for both the reader and the writer to wander, to ponder the words, their meaning, and the subseuent impact it has that often gets lost in the verbal exchange. It is also very fulfilling for me to be able to say what I want, take as long as I need to "spit it out" and know that I have that time........

I also want to note that today is Thatcher Palmer's first birthday, (Jason and Kirsten's son). Happy, happy to you...............Thatcher and may this be the beginning for you of a wonderful, expanding second year of your life! I love your energy. You are so much like your father and it brings back so many fond memories!

And so here goes my blog on April 20, 2011 and next the photos!