With Dad and Mom, Mer, Mark, and Dave.
Columbia Falls, Montana. Abt. 1964.
I’ve heard stories of families that, when a parent died, had all kinds of resentment or anger between family members over past wrongs and hurts. Well, we each have a share of hurts we’ve suffered from each other or given each other. But overall, all of us have had the capacity to work things out inside ourselves & with each other — so that in these past few days, as we’ve gathered together my dad & my brothers & sister & I (along with some other members of our family), we have been able to join together in sadness but also in closeness & love, to remember my mother, & to continue with each other in that same closeness & love. I was born in good fortune into this family, with this mother, this father, these brothers & sister. I love you all. And Mom, I miss you; but I know you’re just the other side of Tuonelanjoki, the river of Death’s land, & although I can’t hear you in some ways I once did, I will listen to hear you in the new ways that you will continue to speak to my heart & spirit & life. I will carry on, always myself, & always your daughter.
