Condolences to Amy and her family. I lost my father, 67, in November following 7-8 years of... difficulty. There can be solace in knowing they're at peace, of course, but not much. . It's the shock of the world continuing to spin as normal that's always galled me.
I try to think of death as something that sets us free, though that doesn't still the ache of those left behind. When we mourn the fact that someone is no longer here, we also celebrate the fact that he/she was here and was meaningful beyond measure! Love in the wake of life
Beautiful words, Wes. My gf of 2.5 years lost her father several weeks ago in Budapest, and I tried to be there in every way, but it destroyed her and she rejected me, and now I wander Sofia, trying to reconcile the wreckage of the post-covid world, and the broken statue in my chest.
I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my father 20 years ago and I still have that hole in my heart, it never got easier, i just learned to co-exist with the feeling that something is missing. (With therapy, years of therapy) The reminders are everywhere, and at a point they make you smile more than cry. But there will always be moments that catch you off guard. The death of a father is a lot deeper than a friend and I hope she finds some peace.
My condolences to Amy and her families. I lost my father 5 years ago tomorrow. He was in the final stages of Parkinson's,. He believed he got it from agent orange and accepted it stoically. Following a stroke, it was exacerbated and he had dementia with it. Both are terribly, cruel diseases. Died from cardiac arrest and thank God, he was spared any more of who knows what. I had inertia for a few years in spite of my external life following his death not realizing it was grief.
Thank goodness, she has you, Rainer, other family members, friends, the bookstore and other aspects of her life to help with the grief. It's tough to lose a parent particularly if one has the kind that the parent was always in your corner and loved you unconditionally. Amy's father sounds like he was like that.
Peace to Amy and those she loves and those that love her.
I'm so sorry to hear the circumstances surrounding Amy's father's passing. Such an unbelievably flawed system we depend on in both sickness and health and it's enraging that it lets us down so often.
When my brother passed away, I needed to go through some photos of him to send to my sister-in-law for the memorial. I remember staring at a photo of him mowing the lawn, smiling and waving, the embodiment of who he was. No one can truly empathize with another’s loss, but many expressed their compassion and sympathy during that time, and even if the words weren’t right, it was the only time in memory when I could say it was the thought that counted. Words are hard, and so is loss, absolutely. Thanks for sharing. I hope Amy feels comfort knowing the love she added to his life means something good.
Many of us are reeling from the recent loss of our dear friend Hector Flores. He passed last week, and we have tickets to see your show at the Greek. I don’t know if I can bring anyone ese to fill his seat, or the gap in my heart.
When I am troubled by death, I think about this verse from the Bhagavad Gita-
The soul is neither born, nor does it ever die; nor having once existed, does it ever cease to be. The soul is without birth, eternal, immortal, and ageless. It is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.
Hi Wes, the beautiful dichotomies! permanence as transition - It would seem weird to believe in anything at that point, living within the confines of time. But somehow light begins to emerge. The Robert Bly poem was sublime and echoed your words so beautifully. This in itself felt like tangible, glorious Hope. May we find our inevitable surrender to truth always.
This was a very cathartic read, thanks for sharing it. My father passed four years ago. Still processing it all. My condolences to everyone in your family.
LOVE, LOSS AND THE PROMISED LAND
Dear Amy and family,
My condolences for your loss. I am sending you love and strength to bear the burden of your grief - the extreme expression of your love.
Trina
Condolences to Amy and her family. I lost my father, 67, in November following 7-8 years of... difficulty. There can be solace in knowing they're at peace, of course, but not much. . It's the shock of the world continuing to spin as normal that's always galled me.
I try to think of death as something that sets us free, though that doesn't still the ache of those left behind. When we mourn the fact that someone is no longer here, we also celebrate the fact that he/she was here and was meaningful beyond measure! Love in the wake of life
Sorry for your family’s loss
Sorry for your loss. He sounds like a beautiful person and father.
Beautiful words, Wes. My gf of 2.5 years lost her father several weeks ago in Budapest, and I tried to be there in every way, but it destroyed her and she rejected me, and now I wander Sofia, trying to reconcile the wreckage of the post-covid world, and the broken statue in my chest.
I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my father 20 years ago and I still have that hole in my heart, it never got easier, i just learned to co-exist with the feeling that something is missing. (With therapy, years of therapy) The reminders are everywhere, and at a point they make you smile more than cry. But there will always be moments that catch you off guard. The death of a father is a lot deeper than a friend and I hope she finds some peace.
I always feel bad sending condolences....How can someone know how it feels. Grief and mourning are unique. Either way, I’m sorry.
My condolences to Amy, yourself and Rainer.
Death is always the hardest on the living.
My condolences to Amy and her families. I lost my father 5 years ago tomorrow. He was in the final stages of Parkinson's,. He believed he got it from agent orange and accepted it stoically. Following a stroke, it was exacerbated and he had dementia with it. Both are terribly, cruel diseases. Died from cardiac arrest and thank God, he was spared any more of who knows what. I had inertia for a few years in spite of my external life following his death not realizing it was grief.
Thank goodness, she has you, Rainer, other family members, friends, the bookstore and other aspects of her life to help with the grief. It's tough to lose a parent particularly if one has the kind that the parent was always in your corner and loved you unconditionally. Amy's father sounds like he was like that.
Peace to Amy and those she loves and those that love her.
I'm so sorry to hear the circumstances surrounding Amy's father's passing. Such an unbelievably flawed system we depend on in both sickness and health and it's enraging that it lets us down so often.
I too am not a bit tamed—I too am untranslatable;
I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.
The last scud of day holds back for me;
It flings my likeness after the rest, and true as any, on the shadow’d wilds;
It coaxes me to the vapor and the dusk.
I depart as air—I shake my white locks at the runaway sun;
I effuse my flesh in eddies, and drift it in lacy jags.
I bequeathe myself to the dirt, to grow from the grass I love;
If you want me again, look for me under your boot-soles.
You will hardly know who I am, or what I mean;
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.
Failing to fetch me at first, keep encouraged;
Missing me one place, search another;
I stop somewhere, waiting for you.
- Walt Whitman ⚘️
When my brother passed away, I needed to go through some photos of him to send to my sister-in-law for the memorial. I remember staring at a photo of him mowing the lawn, smiling and waving, the embodiment of who he was. No one can truly empathize with another’s loss, but many expressed their compassion and sympathy during that time, and even if the words weren’t right, it was the only time in memory when I could say it was the thought that counted. Words are hard, and so is loss, absolutely. Thanks for sharing. I hope Amy feels comfort knowing the love she added to his life means something good.
Very sorry for your loss Wes, Amy & family.
Many of us are reeling from the recent loss of our dear friend Hector Flores. He passed last week, and we have tickets to see your show at the Greek. I don’t know if I can bring anyone ese to fill his seat, or the gap in my heart.
When I am troubled by death, I think about this verse from the Bhagavad Gita-
The soul is neither born, nor does it ever die; nor having once existed, does it ever cease to be. The soul is without birth, eternal, immortal, and ageless. It is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.
“Maybe in the next world...”
💙
Hi Wes, the beautiful dichotomies! permanence as transition - It would seem weird to believe in anything at that point, living within the confines of time. But somehow light begins to emerge. The Robert Bly poem was sublime and echoed your words so beautifully. This in itself felt like tangible, glorious Hope. May we find our inevitable surrender to truth always.
This was a very cathartic read, thanks for sharing it. My father passed four years ago. Still processing it all. My condolences to everyone in your family.