In Pace Requiescat

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am in a thousand winds that blow,

I am the softly falling snow.

I am the gentle showers of rain,

I am the fields of ripening grain.

I am in the morning hush,

I am in the graceful rush

Of beautiful birds in circling flight,

I am the starshine of the night.

I am in the flowers that bloom,

I am in a quiet room.

I am in the birds that sing,

I am in each lovely thing.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there. I do not die.

--Mary Elizabeth Frye

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The call finally came from my brother in Florida. My stepfather died this evening. 

Mom, of course, is a mess. From the day he went into Hospice, about nine weeks ago, she spent all of five nights away from his side. The Hernando-Pasco Hospice people, I can't say enough nice things about them. They were incredibly supportive to the both of them this entire time. They were helpful when my grandfather died and now they're helping out for my stepfather. They offer a world of support and they don't charge a dime. You want to do something nice? Send them a few bucks. 

So tomorrow I'll be going to work, in order to get my stuff lined up for the rest of the week: coverages and so forth. I'm probably going to cancel two meetings and have them held after school ends. The others, I'll figure something out.  GF and I will be heading south at the end of the day. 

I've posted before about how sick he'd been, and how he didn't expect to see another Christmas and so forth. Apparently when he first went to Hospice, he wasn't too clear on just how bad it was. He asked my mother and she told him, "about as bad as it gets." He wasn't happy to hear that, of course, but he appreciated being told the truth and was more or less able to handle the facts. He was a man of deep faith and I think that gave him some measure of peace. 

In one sense, there are better reasons to go to Florida. On the other hand, there's no better reason than being with family at times like this. 

Comments

[sailorgrl21]

I am very sorry for your loss--seems like our lives have taken a similar turn....

[Maureen]

I wish there were words to express my sympathy. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

[yellojkt]

My condolences to you and your family.

[Nick Koliarakis]

As we say in Greek, "Aonia i mnimi aftou" which means "May his memory be eternal. My condolences.