Grieving

Tears Under The Sea
- Surging Up - then
slowly sweeping ashore

Diffuse
Quiet - as Memories are Stirred
Images over many Years
Her Smile -
her Gentle - Strong
caring love
Her Inner Beauty - shared and Visible

No More -
The Cancer took her Away from Us
A full life she had

Giving to Many -
- her large family
- the students and others she counseled
- neighbors and friends
were Helped
in so Many ways.

In my childhood
her kindness wasn't as visible to me
She was different (in my image)
- seemingly simple - not fashionable
but kind and loving

Later on she Saved
one Important to Me
in So Many Ways

Taking a young, troubled Adult
- who hadn't made it through his childhood Intact

Accepting him -
when He was Weak,
Trying to help him
find his path

Becoming - over Time
His Surrogate Mother

A small, but vital part
of the many loving,
caring things she did
for all around her.

Most of her dreams -
She made real -
with children, grandchildren and great grandchildren,

caring for other Children,
Having - a house
Open to others
who Sought sustenance, advice and Learning -

Helping her Learn
the Yiddishkite
That was her life

Now - Others close to her
must move on -
saddened, but having taken in
a Rare gift
in many, many different ways.

Death is an awakening
Bringing individually
Our Spirits - more Alive
Teaching us - we are a little more
than we've seen and believed,
Helping our hearts - reopen
and Be.

I'm sad - but happy to have had my life
Touched and given such a gift
Lucky to have been able to
Say - My Farewell
a Month ago
and to now
Feel the loss and much more
in my life as I return home.

Words - fail -
Feelings - Memories
linger on
Now and Beyond
3/19/2007

(My aunt - 77 - died early 3/17/2007 after nearly two years of facing cancer)