I’m Hoping to Catch up with You

“Blessings on you, dear departed. I’m hoping to catch up with you, one of these days.” – Healing After Loss, Martha W. Hickman

It’s been a while since I’ve written, and there is no real reason why I stopped. Sometimes the day to day routine takes enormous energy, still. Worries loom larger, uncertainty lingers, demands demand, and one grows tired. Yet the words remain, tugging gently, patiently waiting.

We lost another rock and anchor in our family, my beautifully kind and fiercely independent mother-in-law. She taught me so much about being a mom, trusting my professional voice, grieving those we love, treasuring each day we have before us.

Her words, “stay in the moment,” had a way of bringing my sightline back from distant what ifs to the certainty of the present. We love and are loved. We are doing our best for those around us. And that is enough. Rooted in that knowlege, we put one foot in front of the other, relishing the joy and drawing strength in times of challenge.

She kept a copy of Healing After Loss, a book of daily quotations and thoughts to help one work through grief. For someone who read as much as she did, I am sure the words and reflections soothed. They certainly have helped me.

So, tonight, I hold close this passage, and pray we do catch up again, for early morning coffee on the deck, to pick raspberries ripe from the bush, to hike a new trail, to weave seaweed crowns, to set a beautiful table, to linger over a delicious meal, to share a hug goodnight.

My heart rests in deep gratitude for the forever beautiful memories we stayed in the moment to enjoy.