Hope!

Dearest Danda,

I am back on the blog after Christmas celebrations in Christmas Cove, wedding planning at Caneel Bay and Mom’s 70th birthday celebrated in style. The islands welcomed me home with open arms and Dad greeted me as we approached the runway. There was a small rainbow that appeared out of the ominous clouds over the hills of St. Thomas-it was undeniably Dad reminding me that he is still with us. There was also the frigate bird that circled Christmas Cove the morning that we sailed over to celebrate the day. Dad is ever present and I am slowly beginning to accept our loss and believe that he is in the heavens catching up with old friends free of pain and worry.

Ω I am leaving this little symbol in front of these words. I just hit the keyboard by accident and it came up on the screen. I think it is the symbol for pie, but I think it is also reminiscent of a horseshoe so I am keeping it because horseshoes are good luck! Sometimes there is a lot to be said for luck and hope.

My mother gave me a book after I saw her reading it, called Healing After Loss. It is by a woman who lost her daughter to an accident at an early age. She writes daily meditations on healing and grieving and I have found the book my touchstone since loosing Dad. She starts every meditation with a quote and then writes about the subject from her own experience. The words below comment on hope-I think that they can resonate with anyone who is going through a difficult time so I hope you can make use of it.

Hope is the thing with feather
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without words
And never stops at all.

~Emily Dickinson

Sometimes we know as much by its absence as by its presence. When we’re depressed, hope seems almost unknowable, a total illusion. We feel inwardly flattened, unable to move, or as if we are just going through the motions. The song of hope of which the poet speaks of is muted. Yet the will of the spirit, as well as of the body, is for life, even for zestful life. Then something happens—a friend calls and we mobilize ourselves, making an effort to be useful, to ourselves or to someone else. The energy quickens. At least the moment has some meaning again and that persistent note of hope, without which we cannot live, starts thrumming in our minds once more.

~Martha Whitmore Hickman

I hope every day for big things and small things knowing that some of my thoughts will play out with silver linings and some will not. But there is always tomorrow. Today I hope that your visit to Rome was fulfilling and that being with Nonna gave you strength and hope-she is a rarity!

Much Love,
Lex