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| The Delaware Bay at Lewes Beach circa 1964 |
I know I've been away awhile. It's been a difficult six weeks. Gratefully, my mother's house sold quickly. The long and arduous process of emptying the house finally come to an end. Now for the downside: I now have so many more boxes to add to my sorting process. The silver lining in this may be the stories to be told and the lessons to be learned as I empty them.
After a ten year battle with a rare form of cancer, my sister Julie slipped through the veil from this world to the next. The impact of her passing has not yet fully descended upon me. I am being kind to myself and allowing the grief to unfold in its own time. Past experiences have taught me that grief cannot be forced, each experience of it is different. There is no way around it, only through it. My sister was brave in her dying so I must honor her and be brave in my living.
For the moment, I have some wonderful guest writers to share with you in the days to come.
In the final weeks of Julie's life, my sister reunited with two of her oldest friends from childhood. She eagerly anticipated their visit and talked happily about it for a long time afterword. To my surprise they all recited their childhood phone numbers correctly from memory without hesitation!
The bonds of true friendship are deep and it is never too late to rekindle them. The joy of that renewal may be beyond measure.
I have posted Lynn Hackman's blog post about my sister here:
the mentally itinerant methodist: Julie Lynn Parson Hoepfer and a Lesson of Love
And if you missed my earlier post about my own reconciliation with my sister you'll find it here:
There's a Hole in my Sole
Be well. Do Good Work. Find your old friends and hug them.
